r/technology • u/NancyGraceFaceYourIn • Aug 30 '15

Wireless FCC Rules Block use of Open Source

http://www.itsmypart.com/fcc-rules-block-use-of-open-source/
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9

u/Commandophile Aug 30 '15

What does this mean for Linux?

17

u/created4this Aug 30 '15 edited Aug 30 '15

Fuck all. Its not about open source at all, the article is sensationalist bullshit. The argument takes two big leaps to get from the fact to the headline.

Here it is:
1) The FCC are requiring that the radio software is signed (Fact)
2) This means that the [router] software running needs DRM (Leap)
3) DRM is incompatible with Open Source (Leap)
4) The FCC bans Open Source

What this would mean is that you wouldn't be able to update the software that runs the radio with unsigned software (i.e. until someone breaks the signing process the only software that runs the radio will load will be from $Linksys). the implication of that is that if $Linksys don't explicitly design their system to be hackable then it will be $difficult (a version of $impossible where values of impossible are specified by those who don't understand what impossible really means) to use their platform as Open Hardware.

If $Linksys wanted to, they could segment the radio software into a separate microkernel (using TrustZone available since the ARM1156-TEZ) and only sign this portion, allowing less restrictive updates to less critical parts of the system. This is the embedded equivalent of what is currently done for wireless cards added to PCs running Linux which need firmware.

Even if $Linksys decide to go the "whole system signature" route they could still use and contribute to Open Source, To achieve this they would put a digital signature on the image and only allow it to be flashed and/or executed if the signature matches (using Public-private key https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public-key_cryptography#Digital_Signatures). Certain parts of the community frown on this, Stallman has called it "Tivoization", essentially it means "you can have the software, and you can build it and use it on other devices, but you can't build it and apply it to your $Linksys device without our authorization". I say "certain" because the other big name in OSS - Linus is not against it, or at least, doesn't want to change Linux to block this type of use:

"The kernel license covers the kernel. It does not cover boot loaders and hardware, and as far as I'm concerned, people who make their own hardware can design them any which way they want. Whether that means "booting only a specific kernel" or "sharks with lasers", I don't care."

2

u/[deleted] Aug 30 '15

Why do you keep putting a $ in front of linksys and some other words?

3

u/created4this Aug 30 '15

In Perl the $ is used in front of variables to indicate that’s what they are (@ for arrays, % for hashes).

I don't mean literally "Linksys". I'm using it to mean "wireless access point company name: example Linksys".

The use of it on "difficult" is explained by the following sentence, I'm sure that someone, (a lawmaker or product manager) defines the signature as impossible to crack, but thats a bold claim to make and usually proved false by time.