FCC considering proposal to lock down computing devices (routers, PCs, phones, SDRs) to prevent modi
32 replies, posted
[QUOTE] The website LibrePlanet.org reports:
Right now, the FCC is considering a proposal to require manufacturers to lock down computing devices (routers, PCs, phones) to prevent modification if they have a "modular wireless radio"[1][2] or a device with an "electronic label"[3]. The rules would likely:
Restrict installation of alternative operating systems on your PC, like GNU/Linux, OpenBSD, FreeBSD, etc.
Prevent research into advanced wireless technologies, like mesh networking and bufferbloat fixes
Ban installation of custom firmware on your Android phone
Discourage the development of alternative free and open source WiFi firmware, like OpenWrt
Infringe upon the ability of amateur radio operators to create high powered mesh networks to assist emergency personnel in a disaster.
Prevent resellers from installing firmware on routers, such as for retail WiFi hotspots or VPNs, without agreeing to any condition a manufacturer so chooses.[/QUOTE]
[URL="http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2015/august/fcc_proposes_ban_on_sdr_radios_and_more.htm#.VeZ1QtRw2-K"]Source[/URL]
[URL="https://libreplanet.org/wiki?title=Save_WiFi&redirect=no"]Source[/URL]
[URL="http://hackaday.com/2015/08/31/fcc-introduces-rules-banning-wifi-router-firmware-modification/"]Source[/URL]
I thought that all the stuff that was hacked to work with RTL-SDR couldn't transmit, only receive. Why does the FCC give a shit?
this isn't going to happen.
the fuck the FCC just did a 180 from being the good guy.
Saw this on hackaday, now news article just raw pdfs explaining it.
My response is "awwwwhellllnaaawwwwww"
Screw what the FCC says. I'll flash whatever I want on my shit.
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmhhhm so they're going to put a software lock on a piece of hardware and assume it will never be challenged....
ya that worked with DRM right, no software was ever circumvented. all this will do is put people out thousands of dollars in court fights, and put some people behind bars for no good reason
Get fucked FCC
Imagine a black market for computer parts.
The only reason it comes up to FCC is due to the fact that you can modify the radio in those devices to do some crappy things. As technically FCC says the devices licensed cannot allow the user to modify the radio as things are now.
[QUOTE=Maloof?;48597691]Get fucked FCC[/QUOTE]
They didn't vote yes, they're "considering" it - which means somebody gave them a draft, and they're writing a comprehensive way to say no.
Fuck whoever submitted the proposal.
I could submit a draft to the fcc saying anyone who owns a computer is to be executed. that doesn't mean they'll say yes
this will never pass in any sane place
the problem is the US legal system isn't a sane place.
I really don't think this would pass. Wasn't the "you can't modify your phone" thing repealed by the FCC? I don't seem them backstepping this quickly.
[quote]Restrict installation of alternative operating systems on your PC, like GNU/Linux, OpenBSD, FreeBSD, etc.[/quote]
This is blatantly and uncontestably anti competitive and if it gets through would prove beyond reasonable doubt that the FCC is in corporate pockets. If Wheeler really is as cool as he acted like he was at first, it won't make it through.
I hope this won't go through.
I flashed DD-WRT on my Linksys WRT320N, and it significantly boosted its broadcasting range.
My room is on the back of the house, facing the backyard. I could go to the other side of the street and still receive 2/4th of a signal, while there's an entire house between it.
If Wheeler's really the person he's presented himself as (following the whole controversy and FCC decision on Net Neutrality), he'll try and shoot this down before it has a snowball's chance in hell of passing. We can hope...
This doesn't sound right to me, Linksys brand routers advertise the fact that you can install custom firmware on them and lock down PC's? How the fuck are you gonna to accomplish this.
Just reading the proposal it looks like it was drafted by a person who's never seen or worked IT in their life. Basically any device that's modified by a third party without consent (this includes software changes like drivers) has to submit for certification to the FCC. Given that these combinations can be infinite for Radio devices it just isn't feasible. They also left some comments that this is up for debate and revision later so I doubt it will hold
I wouldn't say its anything as devious as someone paying a FCC official to make ups some bullshit rules, its just stupidity that hurts business and the consumer alike.
[QUOTE=lavacano;48598219]This is blatantly and uncontestably anti competitive and if it gets through would prove beyond reasonable doubt that the FCC is in corporate pockets. If Wheeler really is as cool as he acted like he was at first, it won't make it through.[/QUOTE]
This won't just fuck with the consumer market but this will fuck over a LOT of corperations that buy cheap windows rack servers and put VMWare/Linux/BSD on it
[QUOTE=theevilldeadII;48597504]the fuck the FCC just did a 180 from being the good guy.[/QUOTE]
They have to consider all proposals submitted to them. Just because they're considering it doesn't mean they're pulling a 180º on us.
If you can't modify devices, then how are you expected to update their software/fimrware? If it's possible to update software on a device, then it's possible to reverse-engineer whatever proprietary process they use and then use that. It'll only slow people down if it even makes it past the "consideration" stage.
Yeah it's not going to go through. The FCC does have a hardon for wireless control though.
[URL="https://apps.fcc.gov/kdb/GetAttachment.html?id=1UiSJRK869RsyQddPi5hpw%3D%3D&desc=594280%20D02%20U-NII%20Device%20Security%20v01r02&tracking_number=39498"]As far as I can tell[/URL], this consideration would only affect devices with 5GHz support (i.e. almost all modern stuff). Anything that doesn't support 5GHz and only standard 2.4GHz would technically be exempt.
good luck with that fcc
[QUOTE]Infringe upon the ability of amateur radio operators to create high powered mesh networks [B][I][U]to assist emergency personnel in a disaster.[/U][/I][/B]
[/QUOTE]
"im not making any money off of this lol ban this too"
[QUOTE=Zero-Point;48599252]If you can't modify devices, then how are you expected to update their software/fimrware? If it's possible to update software on a device, then it's possible to reverse-engineer whatever proprietary process they use and then use that. It'll only slow people down if it even makes it past the "consideration" stage.[/QUOTE]
Ya see that proprietary process is drm IE a digital lock which is arbitrarily illegal to pick
[QUOTE=Sableye;48611127]Ya see that proprietary process is drm IE a digital lock which is arbitrarily illegal to pick[/QUOTE]
It's not like DRM has stopped anyone before. Tinkerers and hackers alike see DRM as a puzzle that they need to solve. Tell someone that something is " not crack-able" or "unbreakable" and their immediate response is "Challenge accepted!".
If I didn't want full control over my hardware I wouldn't shell out hundreds of dollars for it, plain and simple.
One day modifying your own equipment will be a federal felony.
That'll fix all the hacking!
[QUOTE=Richard Simmons;48613203]One day modifying your own equipment will be a federal felony.
That'll fix all the hacking![/QUOTE]
...Wait, is it that simple? Fuck me, why haven't we done this with murder and drugs yet?!
Get the president on the horn, this is important!
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