Ever had that feeling that someone is watching you, like the door is ajar and folks just passing by the office can see everything on your desk? Have you felt that way for the last seven years? If so, you’re not alone, especially if your computers use Intel chips with vPro technology. According to a recent Ars Technica report, Intel has only recently provided a patch to a backdoor in your network that has been open since the year Facebook was launched. Think about that.
The mechanism was simple, using Active Management Technology (AMT) to allow system administrators remote access to network equipment and functionality as they would have if they were plugged in. This is a great tool used by many across industries to facilitate security and productivity. The flaw was in the authentication sequence, or lack thereof, since access could be gained with a fake password or none at all. Once the vulnerability was uncovered, Intel was quick to offer a fix.
Place Your Bets
Even the names you know and trust are vulnerable. We are all vulnerable, and yet we have to balance security with nimbility, the flexibility to let your data work for you and not the other way around. AMT is a great example of innovations that threaten the very thing they seek to facilitate. At the end of the day, though, you have to bet on something.
Call today, and let ICS help you more actively manage your technology.
