It’s difficult to prove anything like that. From independent research we know that Intel, and likely AMD too with their counterpart, can remotely control your PC via IME. But they’ve never done that yet or have done so very secretly, because then a lot more people would know and that would be problematic.
Personally I think it’s reasonable to suspect that Microsoft has full capability to severely cripple your system at any given time. Maybe not ‘brick’ as that may be impossible without proprietary hardware inside the machine. However, even a simple Windows installation can mess up your UEFI. Given that, do you think that all those millions of fully secret lines of code cannot render you unable to use your PC, even if just temporarily?
princessnorah@lemmy.blahaj.zone 20 hours ago
AMD’s counterpart PSP doesn’t seem capable of what you’re suggesting. As for Intel, well, they don’t have the same comfortable lead anymore so I strongly doubt they’re going to try anything like that, making it a moot point.
I never said that, so I don’t know what you’re arguing against. Of course they can remotely disable an install of Windows. But being able to brick a device, rendering it a mere paperweight forevermore? That is what I am saying is not possible, and I’m fairly sure I’m right about that.
As for the UEFI shenanigans, well that’s a feature of UEFI, not a bug. However there is a level of trust you’re supposed to be able to have in your OS not to mess with it, and is just a sign of Microsoft’s arrogance that they do.