The presentation discusses the possible synergy between open-source firmware consultants and Qubes OS in light of hardware certification. It also analyses possible further support in Qubes OS for alternative computer architectures like OpenPOWER, ARM, and RISC-V. What problems have to be solved and how.

1. Qubes Hardware Certification
Qubes OS and 3mdeb mini-summit 2019
Piotr Król
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2. Opinions are my own and represent view of my employer
We do not follow very close Qubes OS development and discussions
We came from embedded and firmware world - our experience with
general-user-facing system is low
Disclaimer
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Qubes OS and 3mdeb minisummit 2019
CC BY | Piotr Król

3. we're working hard to make a "reasonably secure laptop" a reality
can we ask what does it mean?
what is the progress of that effort?
is there any place for Open Source Firmware consulting company?
there are many companies trying the same
Serious prospective business customers should [contact us] for more
information
We would like to understand what that means
Feasible?
Qubes statement (2 years old)
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Qubes OS and 3mdeb minisummit 2019
CC BY | Piotr Król

4. Are there any architecture which can be considered not-harmful?
ARM
poisoned supply chain
hard to build general purpose computer for masses
UEFI
mobile solutions
Purism effort around i.MX8
OpenPOWER
very expensive
we are not sure about exact state since we never worked
with this architecture
RISC-V
we think it is very promising
even if CPU is clear, we have to face tons of other blobs in different system
components
firmware is everywhere
x86 considered harmful
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Qubes OS and 3mdeb minisummit 2019
CC BY | Piotr Król

5. coreboot
do you see any alternatives to open-source boot firmware?
BTW it really like your precise naming
Intel FSP
it looks that there are serious plans to open source FSP
BootROM in x86
(CS)ME/IE
after many PT revelations lots of interesting things happen
any comments on that?
Blobs
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Qubes OS and 3mdeb minisummit 2019
CC BY | Piotr Król

6. Not only hardware vendors are interested in that
OEM/ODM
Embedded Systems Consulting
Customers often come to us from Qubes OS website
Thank you
Qubes OS (hw cert) -> coreboot -> consulting -> 3mdeb
Qubes certified laptop
Hardware certification
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Qubes OS and 3mdeb minisummit 2019
CC BY | Piotr Król

7. Are there any real issues with UEFI in light of certification?
IBVs are not very welcome in current ecosystem
Does Qubes OS see some implementation problems with UEFI
implementation
What are the things users complain?
Any hard to debug/workaround/fix bugs affecting OS?
UEFI issues
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Qubes OS and 3mdeb minisummit 2019
CC BY | Piotr Król

8. Is there a place for Qubes OS and companies like 3mdeb to cooperate?
what areas?
how we can help each other assuming reasonable resources?
Discussion
Qubes OS and 3mdeb
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Qubes OS and 3mdeb minisummit 2019
CC BY | Piotr Król

9. Q&A
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Qubes OS and 3mdeb minisummit 2019
CC BY | Piotr Król