Update Pm3 Firmware

[Diante Scharsch]

Incomputing, firmware is software that provides low-level control of computing device hardware. For a relatively simple device, firmware may perform all control, monitoring and data manipulation functionality.For a more complex device, firmware may provide relatively low-level control as well as hardware abstraction services to higher-level software such as an operating system.

Firmware is found in a wide-range of computing devices including personal computers, phones, home appliances, vehicles, computer peripherals and in many of the digital chips inside each of these larger systems.

Ascher Opler used the term firmware in a 1967 Datamation article, as an intermediary term between "hardware" and "software". Opler projected that fourth-generation computer systems would have a writable control store (a small specialized high-speed memory) into which microcode firmware would be loaded. Many software functions would be moved to microcode, and instruction sets could be customized, with different firmware loaded for different instruction sets.[2]

As computers began to increase in complexity, it became clear that various programs needed to first be initiated and run to provide a consistent environment necessary for running more complex programs at the user's discretion. This required programming the computer to run those programs automatically. Furthermore, as companies, universities, and marketers wanted to sell computers to laypeople with little technical knowledge, greater automation became necessary to allow a lay-user to easily run programs for practical purposes. This gave rise to a kind of software that a user would not consciously run, and it led to software that a lay user wouldn't even know about.[3]

As originally used, firmware contrasted with hardware (the CPU itself) and software (normal instructions executing on a CPU). It was not composed of CPU machine instructions, but of lower-level microcode involved in the implementation of machine instructions. It existed on the boundary between hardware and software; thus the name firmware. Over time, popular usage extended the word firmware to denote any computer program that is tightly linked to hardware, including BIOS on PCs, boot firmware on smartphones, computer peripherals, or the control systems on simple consumer electronic devices such as microwave ovens, remote controls.

In some respects, the various firmware components are as important as the operating system in a working computer. However, unlike most modern operating systems, firmware rarely has a well-evolved automatic mechanism of updating itself to fix any functionality issues detected after shipping the unit.

A computer's firmware may be manually updated by a user via a small utility program. In contrast, firmware in mass storage devices (hard-disk drives, optical disc drives, flash memory storage e.g. solid state drive) is less frequently updated, even when flash memory (rather than ROM, EEPROM) storage is used for the firmware.

Most computer peripherals are themselves special-purpose computers. Devices such as printers, scanners, webcams, and USB flash drives have internally-stored firmware; some devices may also permit field upgrading of their firmware.

Consumer appliances like gaming consoles, digital cameras and portable music players support firmware upgrades. Some companies use firmware updates to add new playable file formats (codecs). Other features that may change with firmware updates include the GUI or even the battery life. Smartphones have a firmware over the air upgrade capability for adding new features and patching security issues.

Since 1996, most automobiles have employed an on-board computer and various sensors to detect mechanical problems. As of 2010[update], modern vehicles also employ computer-controlled anti-lock braking systems (ABS) and computer-operated transmission control units (TCUs). The driver can also get in-dash information while driving in this manner, such as real-time fuel economy and tire pressure readings. Local dealers can update most vehicle firmware.

Flashing[5] involves the overwriting of existing firmware or data, contained in EEPROM or flash memory module present in an electronic device, with new data.[5] This can be done to upgrade a device[6] or to change the provider of a service associated with the function of the device, such as changing from one mobile phone service provider to another or installing a new operating system. If firmware is upgradable, it is often done via a program from the provider, and will often allow the old firmware to be saved before upgrading so it can be reverted to if the process fails, or if the newer version performs worse. Free software replacements for vendor flashing tools have been developed, such as Flashrom.

Sometimes, third parties develop an unofficial new or modified ("aftermarket") version of firmware to provide new features or to unlock hidden functionality; this is referred to as custom firmware. An example is Rockbox as a firmware replacement for portable media players. There are many homebrew projects for various devices, which often unlock general-purpose computing functionality in previously limited devices (e.g., running Doom on iPods).

Firmware hacks usually take advantage of the firmware update facility on many devices to install or run themselves. Some, however, must resort to exploits to run, because the manufacturer has attempted to lock the hardware to stop it from running unlicensed code.

The Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab discovered that a group of developers it refers to as the "Equation Group" has developed hard disk drive firmware modifications for various drive models, containing a trojan horse that allows data to be stored on the drive in locations that will not be erased even if the drive is formatted or wiped.[7] Although the Kaspersky Lab report did not explicitly claim that this group is part of the United States National Security Agency (NSA), evidence obtained from the code of various Equation Group software suggests that they are part of the NSA.[8][9]

Researchers from the Kaspersky Lab categorized the undertakings by Equation Group as the most advanced hacking operation ever uncovered, also documenting around 500 infections caused by the Equation Group in at least 42 countries.

Custom firmware hacks have also focused on injecting malware into devices such as smartphones or USB devices. One such smartphone injection was demonstrated on the Symbian OS at MalCon,[12][13] a hacker convention. A USB device firmware hack called BadUSB was presented at the Black Hat USA 2014 conference,[14] demonstrating how a USB flash drive microcontroller can be reprogrammed to spoof various other device types to take control of a computer, exfiltrate data, or spy on the user.[15][16] Other security researchers have worked further on how to exploit the principles behind BadUSB,[17] releasing at the same time the source code of hacking tools that can be used to modify the behavior of different USB devices.[18]

Firmware is a form of microcode or program embedded into hardware devices to help them operate effectively. Hardware like cameras, mobile phones, network cards, optical drives, printers, routers, scanners, and television remotes rely on firmware built into their memory to function smoothly.

Hardware manufacturers regularly release firmware updates so their devices remain secure and compatible with new media. For example, Android and iOS devices periodically get firmware updates that enhance their performance, add new features, and protect them against security threats and vulnerabilities. Updates for firmware for devices like game consoles and televisions are typically done by accepting prompts to download and install the latest patch.

Aside from the device startup process, the BIOS is responsible for checking the Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS), which is a piece of memory that stores BIOS settings, and other chips on a device. It also checks signals that are sent to the RAM, such as when a user presses a key, to help the operating system understand what action to take.

The original EFI firmware is used in Macs and can only support Intel processors. Unified EFI (UEFI) is a piece of firmware designed to replace the BIOS in new Windows computers and supports AMD and Intel processors. UEFI is used to load and start up operating systems in devices that run Windows 8 and beyond.

The firmware version of a hardware device can be discovered by opening the Devices Manager folder, selecting the hardware, and clicking Properties. Within the Details tab, navigate to the Property menu, open the Hardware IDs option, and the firmware version will be listed in the Value table.

Firmware updates enable hardware devices to continue operating efficiently and securely. These updates typically involve some form of program alteration that fixes a known bug or patches against specific vulnerabilities.

Hardware devices are vulnerable to firmware attacks, which can lead to hackers embedding malware into the firmware. The BIOS has proven to be particularly insecure because different devices often share the same code, enabling attackers to discover and exploit common vulnerabilities.

Furthermore, devices like laptops are packed with firmware that powers hardware like batteries, sound cards, and webcams. This introduces a security risk, as producers of these components may not design the firmware with cybersecurity top of mind. As a result, they could be vulnerable to firmware hacking, which leads to malware attaching itself to the firmware and remaining hidden without being detected by antivirus and other security tools.

Firmware attacks can come through various vectors, from malware and rootkits to infected hard drives, corrupted drives, and insecure firmware products. Hackers do not have to physically touch a device to carry out an attack. They can do so through remote connections like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. This means that the growing market of connected devices, such as game consoles, mobile phones, and television, is increasingly becoming vulnerable to firmware hacking.

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