Microsoft Will Lock Out Linux

For decades now open-sources have been running dual boot set ups featuring both Windows and Linux running alongside from a standardized boot. Nevertheless, the news is that in the new Windows 8, the firmware known as UEFI is going to replace the low level BIOS along with the ability to lock down PCs so that operating systems should be digitally signed through “secure boot”.

The industry couldn’t stay calm after this news. Ross Anderson, Cambridge University security engineering professor, claimed that Microsoft pushing for obligatory UEFI support would mean that such “unauthorized” operating systems as Linux or FreeBSD just won’t be able to run at all. The professor pointed out that it would mean an increased lock-in, less consumer choice and, as usual, less space to innovate. Overall, the entire idea is absolutely unlawful and mustn’t succeed.

However, software colossus Microsoft was quick to deny that its new operating system has been specifically designed to lock out Linux. The company’s representative said that secure boot was not a tool to lock out OS loaders, but rather a policy allowing firmware to validate authenticity of components. Microsoft has posted a long description of UEFI and the OS support for the next-generation security feature, trying to prove that it won’t control the settings on computer firmware which either control or enable secured boot from any OS different from Windows.

However, Linux fans remain a bit concerned about the secure booting feature of Microsoft that might lock their favorite operating system out. Moreover, the media already report that Linux Australia members have filed a complaint to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission about the plans of software giant and been told they have a case.

The argument of the group was that any software or hardware will need to be signed by Microsoft or any other relevant original equipment manufacturer to be able to run. This clearly means that alternative OS like Linux (and maybe even older versions of Windows) won’t work without the secure keys bundled with new OS releases and many more.

In respond, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has hinted that the open-sources may have a case if they provided more information on the issue. That’s why Linux Australia is planning to bring the matter up again and consider a larger campaign against Windows 8. 

Microsoft Restricted Access To Geolocation Database

Microsoft has locked down their Wi-Fi-powered geolocation service. The reason for the decision was that insecurity expert Elie Bursztein recently raised privacy concerns about the data which is being stored within the service.

The expert was trying to find out whether it was possible to track a laptop by snuffling the Wi-Fi information stored by Windows each time it connects to an access point. Actually, the only way he could do that was by obtaining access to Microsoft's MAC Address Database. As a result, Microsoft took a decision to restrict access to its database as a prevention measure for the future.

According to media reports, the decision follows the Google’s move, which had the same privacy complaint. Currently Microsoft, Google, and Skyhook operate Wi-Fi geolocation databases particularly designed to provide quick location data to electronic devices, including phones, tablets, and laptop computers.

Recently it was discovered that Google's database was full not just of access point MAC addresses, but also of laptop and smartphone addresses that could have been easily tracked. As a result, search giant switched something in its service so that it restricted access by requiring two nearby MAC addresses to be entered instead of only one. In other words, the new approach made it virtually impossible to query a particular phone's MAC address in order to learn where the person was.

Meanwhile, the disadvantage of all this is that if someone wants an approximate location with only one access point visible, Microsoft will reject to give them one. On the other hand, it seems that companies like Google and Redmond took a decision to better ensure their users’ privacy than convenience, in this particular case. As for the industry experts, most of them believe that the change is really unfortunate, because Wi-Fi-based positioning is a very convenient feature to have, particularly for laptops often Wi-Fi-enabled but in most cases lacking GPS hardware. In our days, geolocation is a feature from HTML5, supported by all up-to-date browsers in order to enable services like foursquare and location-based search. Some suggest that instead of restricting the service, a move in the opposite direction, like publishing the API and making it accessible to 3rd parties, plus integrating system-wide support for it would all be a valuable improvement to Windows and the online community.