Secure Boot - Is Microsoft attempting to lock-out Free Software?

Concerns have been raised about Microsoft's move to implement what Microsoft is affectionately calling "Secure Boot".

Below is a verbatim copy of the FSF-Newsletter informing subscribers of the proposed measure and its potential hazards.

While researching the issue, I came upon several lengthy articles about "Secure Boot", technically known as Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI), and, no surprise here, opinions on the subject are divided. I've added some relevant quotes, opinions and links after the Newsletter content.

The Newsletter:

Dear Supporters,

Please join us in signing the statement: Stand up for your freedom to install free software
*
The free software movement has come a long way over the past 25+ years. While we still face many challenges ahead for us to create a world in which it is normal and expected for computer users to have freedom, we have made steady progress. Right now, however, there is a potential threat that could put us back years. Microsoft has announced that if computer makers wish to distribute machines with the Windows 8 compatibility logo, they will have to implement a measure called "Secure Boot."

When done correctly, "Secure Boot" is designed to protect against malware by preventing computers from loading unauthorized binary programs when booting. In practice, this means that computers implementing it won't boot unauthorized or modified operating systems. This could be a feature deserving of the name, as long as the user is able to authorize the programs she wants to use, so she can run free software written and modified by herself or people she trusts.

However, we are concerned that Microsoft and hardware manufacturers will implement these boot restrictions in a way that will prevent users from booting anything other than unmodified Windows. In this case, a better name for the technology would be Restricted Boot, since such a requirement would be a severe restriction on computer users and not a security feature at all.

We're looking at a world in which it could become impossible for the average user to install GNU/Linux on any new computer, so too much is at stake for us to wait and see if computer manufacturers will do the right thing. "Secure Boot" could all too easily become a euphemism for restriction and control by computer makers and Microsoft -- freedom and security necessitate users being in charge of their own computers.

So please, join us in signing this statement against Restricted Boot, and consider encouraging your friends, family, and colleagues to do the same.

If you are part of an organization or company that would like to prominently show their support, please contact us at campaigns@fsf.org.

For your convenience, here is a list of additional articles and resources related to this statement:

Public statement: http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/secure-boot-vs-restricted-boot/statement
* Press release: http://www.fsf.org/news/secure-boot-vs-restricted-boot-in-windows-8
* Detailed explanation of the issue: http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/secure-boot-vs-restricted-boot
*
Sincerely,

John Sullivan
Executive Director
Free Software Foundation

--
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Join us as an associate member at http://fsf.org/jf

Sent from the Free Software Foundation,

51 Franklin Street
Fifth Floor
Boston, MA 02110-1335
United States

This new measure seems innocent enough, though most likely the implementation will mean that the average computer user will consider the installation of free or otherwise non-MS operating systems too tedious, thereby making such installations unfeasable.

The title of the newsletter is titled "Stand Up for Your Freedom", and as suggested, it would probably be wise to check out some of the links in the newsletter and sign onto the petition. As some very famous people have stated in the past, Freedom must be vigorously defended if it is to survive...

Ubuntu releases, as well as many other Gnu/Linux operating systems, are truly a viable option to, if not an outright improvement over MS-Windows, and the rights to use, change, study, and share such software epitomises what democracy and freedom stands for.

One of the more informed-sounding articles I found is available at ZDNet.com/microsoft-tries-to-block-linux. The author, Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols, quotes Matthew Garrett's original blog post, (Matthew Garret is credited for being the first to spot the move), about the danger to Linux users. - Links to both articles are listed below.

ZDNet.com/microsoft-tries-to-block-linux-from-windows8...
mjg59.dreamwidth.org/5552.html - UEFI Secure Booting"