From 6b6f2186b87676e5d55c817944dacbc3c04b2b77 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: =?UTF-8?q?Filip=20Lewi=C5=84ski?= Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2023 12:44:03 +0200 Subject: [PATCH] introduction.md: blobs FAQ MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Signed-off-by: Filip Lewiński --- docs/osf-trivia-list/introduction.md | 47 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 47 insertions(+) diff --git a/docs/osf-trivia-list/introduction.md b/docs/osf-trivia-list/introduction.md index 49ef0312..e2de06a7 100644 --- a/docs/osf-trivia-list/introduction.md +++ b/docs/osf-trivia-list/introduction.md @@ -22,3 +22,50 @@ TODO: Explain how wrong is this question and why often there is no answer to it on mailing list. --> + +## `[OSFTQL0003]` Binary blobs - what are they? What do we need them for? + +Binary blobs are a term referring to proprietary, closed-source software +components. They are called "blobs" because, unlike open-source code, you can't +see their internal structure, nor verify their security; they are an +undifferentiated mass (or "blob") of binary data. While often frowned upon in +the Open Source community for being inauditable and suspicious, some are +required by coreboot for most of the recent platforms. +Here are some common types of binary blobs you might encounter when working +with coreboot: + +* **CPU Microcode:** + - Modern CPUs often require microcode updates to fix bugs or security + vulnerabilities. These microcode updates are usually distributed as binary + blobs. + +* **Memory Initialization:** + - Some platforms require binary blobs for memory initialization. The code + that sets up the RAM is sometimes provided only in binary form by the + hardware manufacturer. + +* **Video BIOS:** + - The video BIOS (VBIOS) is a piece of firmware that initializes the + graphics hardware. In some cases, the VBIOS might be required to get + graphical output during the boot process. + +* **Management Engine (ME) Firmware (Intel platforms):** + - Intel's Management Engine is a controversial component required for + Intel systems to boot. It requires a binary blob. + +* **Platform Security Processor (PSP) Firmware (AMD platforms):** + - Similar to Intel's ME, AMD's Platform Security Processor (PSP) requires + binary firmware to function. + +* **Firmware Support Package (FSP) (Intel platforms):** + - Intel provides a Firmware Support Package (FSP) which is a binary blob + used to initialize the processor, memory, and chipset on some Intel + platforms. + +* **Embedded Controller (EC) Firmware:** + - The firmware for the embedded controller (which handles things like + power management, fan control, etc.) may also be a binary blob. + +To see in fine detail which are required for your platform of interest, +please refer to +[this coreboot wiki page](https://www.coreboot.org/Binary_situation).