[tor-relays] EOMA68 as a platform for trustworthy computing? / was: Exploiting firmware

[Christian Pietsch]

On Thu, Dec 08, 2016 at 10:41:46AM +0500, Roman Mamedov wrote:
> On AMD that's been implemented only after "Family 15h"
> https://libreboot.org/faq/#amdbastards
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AMD_CPU_microarchitectures
> 
> Family 15h itself is safe.
> 
> It includes FX-series 8-core CPUs at up to 5 GHz supporting DDR3-2133 RAM:
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piledriver_%28microarchitecture%29
> 
> So don't handwave-away AMD with "they are doing that too", today you CAN have
> a non-backdoored modern high-performance CPU -- from AMD.

Interesting, but this microarchitecture entered the market in 2012 and
is probably being phased out now, I guess?

As far as modular, open hardware is concerned, I set my hopes on the
new EOMA68 architecture. This is a draft standard for computer cards
in the PCMCIA form factor: http://elinux.org/Embedded_Open_Modular_Architecture/EOMA68

Crowdfunding for the first implementation of this specification
(EOMA68-A20) has been successful: https://www.crowdsupply.com/eoma68/micro-desktop
I ordered one, and I convinced Digitalcourage e.V. to order three more
that will be used for trustworthy computing – maybe Tor relays.

The performance of this first implementation will probably be
comparable to the CubieTruck which is based on the same SoC, the
Allwinner A20, which is an ARM Cortex-A8 design. So CPU-wise, it will
be between the Raspberry Pi 2 and 3. Network throughput might be
better because it does not use Raspi's peculiar design.

New implementations with more powerful hardware are in preparation
(see the latest updates on CrowdSupply), but we are still talking
about smartphone-like systems.

Last time I checked, Tor did not support the hardware AES acceleration
of the A20 SoC called Security System (SS) <http://sunxi.montjoie.ovh>.
Is this still the case?

Greetings from Bielefeld, Germany!
Christian


-- 
  Christian Pietsch · volunteering for Digitalcourage e.V., Bielefeld, Germany
  https://digitalcourage.de | https://bigbrotherawards.de

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