Are used laptops safe to use?

[ljul...@gmail.com]

Hello everyone, does anybody know if used laptops are safe to use for Qubes or not since they might have malware (that could take over dom0) in them already?

[awokd]

ljul...@gmail.com:

> Hello everyone, does anybody know if used laptops are safe to use for Qubes or not since they might have malware (that could take over dom0) in them already?
>

Format the hard drive and you'll wipe most third party malware. The odds
of you finding a used laptop with one of the exceptions that survives a
format is slim. There is also a chance a new laptop could come
compromised. Up to you to determine what is "safe" for you.

[qtpie]

'awokd' via qubes-users:

Common malware: no difference between new and used. There are regular
reports about malware-like software on newly bought laptops, installed
by the manufacturer. So you should always wipe the harddrive regardless
of whether the laptop is new or used.

Targeted attack by an adversary who intercepts the laptop before you buy
it: at least one security oriented manufacturer now offers a proces that
supposedly mitigates this, so this would supposedly be safer. But their
products are expensive and not avalaible everywhere.

If you need an affordable qubes-capable laptop a refurbished Dell
Latitude Lenovo thinkpad or similar 'bussiness' laptop is a good option.
Look on a secondhand site for refurbished + model number and you will
find them offered by bulk buying companies.

[ljul...@gmail.com]

So like companies that sell laptops bought in bulk should be a little bit safer than laptops sold by individuals on sites like Craigslist since those companies buy the laptops from other businesses which most likely only used those laptops for business purposes and not like for Tor stuff, right?

[FenderBender]

On Sunday, August 18, 2019 at 11:20:26 AM UTC-7, ljul...@gmail.com wrote:

So like companies that sell laptops bought in bulk should be a little bit safer than laptops sold by individuals on sites like Craigslist since those companies buy the laptops from other businesses which most likely only used those laptops for business purposes and not like for Tor stuff, right?

 

At least on craigslist you know who was using it before I don't think you are safer with an unknown source. As others have said, new stuff has vulnerabilities. Various totalitarian dictaorships have full time agencies working on ways to hack the Intell and amd chips, compromise Tor, you name it. A used older laptop from a private individual presents a different risk profile granted but I don't know that it is any better or worse than new or bulk vendor sourcing. 

Just be sure to wipe the hard drive, overwriting all nodes, using Bleach Bit etc and from what I gather, flash the bios with an open source bios...assume everything is pawned. Everything...

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[ljul...@gmail.com]

“Just be sure to wipe the hard drive, overwriting all nodes, using Bleach Bit etc and from what I gather, flash the bios with an open source bios...assume everything is pawned. Everything...” if I do this, will the laptop get rid of any malwares, if it had any?