Apple Brings Its Hardware Microphone Disconnect Feature To iPads (techcrunch.com) 26
Apple has brought its hardware microphone disconnect security feature to its latest iPads. From a report: The microphone disconnect security feature aims to make it far more difficult for hackers to use malware or a malicious app to eavesdrop on a device's surroundings. The feature was first introduced to Macs by way of Apple's T2 security chip last year. The security chip ensured that the microphone was physically disconnected from the device when the user shuts their MacBook lid. The idea goes that physically cutting off the microphone from the device prevents malware -- even with the highest level of âoerootâ device permissions -- from listening in to nearby conversations. Apple confirmed in a support guide that its newest iPads have the same feature. Any certified "Made for iPad" case that's attached and closed will trigger the hardware disconnect.
We already know those can't be trusted. (Score:1)
If it is software-controllable, at all, we already know it is irrelevant if it is "hardware" disconnectable, and merely security theater:
Anyone remember when it was reported that this was circumvented in (web)cams in laptops, by the malware altering the firmware?
Doing it in plain old software should be trivial by comparison.
(Not that I trust the OS or chips in there much anyway.)
If it's not a physical switch, that physically cuts the lines, it should be illegal to advertise it as a "hardware disconnect". Th
Re: (Score:2)
...this disconnect is implemented in hardware alone. The disconnect prevents any software—even with root or kernel privileges in macOS, and even the software on the T2 chip—from engaging the microphone when the lid is closed.
https://support.apple.com/guid... [apple.com]
Re: (Score:1)
They could just make it dual pole or add a second one that passes the analogue audio signal.
I can't say I've seen schematics of any of this, but I do know that there's very sensitive surface-mount microphone ICs that I believe integrate an A/D converter into them and are interfaced with entirely digitally, so there wouldn't be any analog signal at all to disconnect. That being said, there's no reason if that's the case that they couldn't gate the chip select for that microphone IC and keep it disabled when the lid is closed. Of course that only works for a laptop, for a tablet you'd have to have a
Re: (Score:2)
They don't explain what hardware. The fact that the T2 chip is involved means it's probably misleading, since that chip has firmware on it.
All it takes is one logic gate:
Audio signal = Mic signal && lid open
Lid open = True (1) => Audio signal = Mic signal
Lid open = False (0) => Audio signal = 0
There's no reason to have programmable logic for this at all. Not everything has to be re-programmable just because something has firmware.
Then why use a programmable chip? (Score:2)
There's no reason to have programmable logic for this at all.
True, but since that is true why did they implement it using a chip that has programmable firmware instead of in a very simple hardware circuit?
Re: Then why use a programmable chip? (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
All Mac portables with the Apple T2 Security Chip feature a hardware disconnect that ensures the microphone is disabled whenever the lid is closed
aka, SOFTWARE tells the hardware to this, the same software that tells your screen to turn off when the lid is closed. OP's comment still stands, and until there is a physical switch that must be physically moved, its still a software-controlled.
Its like console DRM that checks the physical (aka hardware) cd for certain code that cd-writers can't reproduce. Sure, it's a hardware check, but the check is done by software which can be modified to say "Yep, uh huh, it's there all right...."
Umm no (Score:2)
The feature was first introduced to Macs by way of Apple's T2 security chip last year. The security chip ensured that the microphone was physically disconnected from the device when the user shuts their MacBook lid.
No, a chip isnt doing that. A chip is at most disallowing the pins to be read. It cannot "physically disconnect" the device like a rocker switch would.
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Now, the question is: is Apple intentionally blowing smoke up our arses about this, or is the news story just worded poorly?
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Switch... (Score:5, Insightful)
Just give me a damn fucking physical switch that I can turn on or off myself. No gimmick shit like this... just because I open my lid does not mean I want the mic on.
The technology around us is built to spy on us constantly, it has gone too far already.
Re: (Score:2)
Just give me a damn fucking physical switch
No thanks. It's bad enough trying to micromanage hardware for a practically non-existent risk as it is.
Re: (Score:2)
Just give me a damn fucking physical switch that I can turn on or off myself.
Sounds like a refrigerator magnet might do the trick for you.
Re: Switch... (Score:3)
Just... Don't buy it if you don't like it.
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Feeling the heat of competition? (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
Long live privacy!
Even if this worked... (Score:2)
...even if the microphone was physically disconnected, the speaker can potentially be used as an eavesdropping device. You'd have to physically disconnect that as well. (https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2016/11/24/how-your-speakers-could-be-turned-into-eavesdropping-microphones/)
(Also, *is* there a true hardware disconnection of the microphone? Is the hardware disconnect created by a relay that is under software control? This wasn't clear from the summary).
Re:Even if this worked... (Score:4, Informative)
The speaker thing only works if it was able to be reversed in the jack as an input. Since the speaker on the iPad is connected to an audio amplifier and some switches that can't be used to redirect as an input, it won't work.
The story isn't fake - some audio output jacks can act as audio input jacks (they are marked as line outs, but are really software controlled line out/line in).
However, in this story, there's a hardware sensor that detects some change of physical state - lid closed, or tablet covered. That sends a signal to the T2 chip. That chip then internally disconnects the microphone from the audio circuits.
It likely isn't firmware controllable (the hardware signal controls the switching transistor directly), requiring a hardware bypass. However, firmware can query its status as well as being software controllable too - so either hardware OR software (or both) can disable the microphone. Short of a hardware mod, you can't enable the microphone if the hardware says it should be disconnected. Or a silicon error.
whine (Score:3, Funny)
Apple does something reasonable, mentions it in passing.
No other manufacturer is doing it.
It's Apple, so:
Why do it like that?
It's not free!
There are conditions!!
I can just make my own for a nickel!!
Walled garden!!!!
fanbois are suckers!!!!!
I want something else!!!!!!!!
Reasonable doubt (Score:2)
Apple does something reasonable
No, Apple claims to do something reasonable but, instead of making it a simple hardware circuit like most other people would do they decide to use a firmware-programmable chip to do it raising equally reasonable questions about whether their definition of "hardware" is consistent with most other people's definitions of hardware.
Re: (Score:3)
No, Apple claims to do something reasonable but, instead of making it a simple hardware circuit like most other people would do they decide to use a firmware-programmable chip to do it
They don't [apple.com]: this disconnect is implemented in hardware alone. The disconnect prevents any software -- even with root or kernel privileges in macOS, and even the software on the T2 chip -- from engaging the microphone when the lid is closed.
The T2 chip mention refers to the fact that this hardware disconnect feature is only implemented on laptops that also happen to have a T2 chip.