CPU backdoors, and Talos 100% user-controlled workstation

CPU backdoors, and Talos 100% user-controlled workstation

In case you're not aware, pretty much all modern Intel and AMD CPUs are backdoored with an extra "core" on the CPU that runs secret code shipped by the manufacturer and has full access to the real computer's memory and direct network access. This means even if you run a completely open source and locked-down operating system such as SELinux or Qubes, your CPU is still spying on you beyond your control, and could very well steal your bitcoins (even if they're encrypted, it can just wait until you use the wallet and steal the raw keys out of RAM!).

Obviously this is going to be a serious problem for Bitcoin's success.

The Talos secure workstation is a system designed to give the end-user complete control. Not only does it use IBM's POWER8 CPUs (non-x86, but comparable to recent high-end Intel CPUs unlike ARM), but the logic on the motherboard is using FPGAs with open source bitstreams, so literally everything can be audited or modified by the user.

Unfortunately, things are not looking good for their crowdfunding so far: after nearly 2 months, they're down to just 10 days left and only 10% of the funding goal they need to actually bring the workstation to market.

We've seen scammy projects get much more funding around the cryptocurrency community. But can we help get this this critical step accomplished?

I realise the price for Talos is a magnitude higher than it ideally would be, but note it's much more powerful than most consumer PCs (their low-end "desktop edition" itself has 128 GB RAM!), and unfortunately smaller production tends to be more expensive in general. Even if you can't afford their high prices, and even if the project doesn't get funded in the end, please consider showing interest/support for user-controlled hardware by donating $10.