> These skeleton keys can be used to install non-Redmond operating systems on locked-down computers. In other words, on devices that do not allow you to disable Secure Boot even if you have administrator rights – such as ARM-based Windows RT tablets – it is now possible to sidestep this block and run, say, GNU/Linux or Android.<p>What's the point of disabling the ability to install another OS?<p>I can understand having a bit (that you can flip) in the BIOS that prevents accidentally or maliciously overwriting the boot sector of an OS. But what's the point of completely preventing it? What does it accomplish besides neutering the device and pissing off people that are trying to replace the OS?
This is a well written piece that has enough tech mumbo-jumbo to scare the non-tech literate person away. I enjoyed it but are there other, more widely accessible scare pieces out there? It's this kind of thing that needs to reach privacy conscious people so that we can stop governments from mandating stupid stuff like backdoors.
It's backdoors all the way down to the turtle: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11913379" rel="nofollow">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11913379</a>