Keeping the privacy concerns about the Google ecosystem aside, Chrome OS is one of the most secure desktop operating system available on the market. Chromebook is safe from attacks due to automatic system updates, verified boot and system drive encryption. For generating the cryptographic keys, most models also use a Trusted Platform Module also known as TPM. This can protect the local data. We already know that nothing is 100% secure. Same is the story about Chromebooks. A bug in certain versions of Infineon TPM firmware, which allows the hackers to potentially brute force a Chromebook to obtain encrypted data. But the researchers have estimated that it would take around 140 CPU years to break a single key and so the scope of vulnerability is limited.
Potentially all Chromebooks can be affected by the bug using the newest Infineon TPM firmware, that allows hackers to get encrypted data with brute-force method.
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- asuka – Dell Chromebook 13 3380
- auron-paine – Acer Chromebook 11 (C740)
- auron-yuna – Acer Chromebook 15 (CB5-571)
- banjo – Acer Chromebook 15 (CB3-531)
- banon – Acer Chromebook 15 (CB3-532)
- buddy – Acer Chromebase 24
- candy – Dell Chromebook 11 (3120)
- caroline – Samsung Chromebook Pro
- cave – ASUS Chromebook Flip C302
- celes – Samsung Chromebook 3
- chell – HP Chromebook 13 G1
- clapper – Lenovo N20 Chromebook
- cyan – Acer Chromebook R11 (CB5-132T / C738T)
- daisy-skate – HP Chromebook 11 2000-2099 / HP Chromebook 11 G2
- daisy-spring – HP Chromebook 11 1100-1199 / HP Chromebook 11 G1
- edgar – Acer Chromebook 14 (CB3-431)
- elm – Acer Chromebook R13 (CB5-312T)
- enguarde – ASI Chromebook
- enguarde – Crambo Chromebook
- enguarde – CTL N6 Education Chromebook
- enguarde – Education Chromebook
- enguarde – eduGear Chromebook R
- enguarde – Edxis Education Chromebook
- enguarde – JP Sa Couto Chromebook
- enguarde – Lenovo N21 Chromebook
- enguarde – M&A Chromebook
- enguarde – RGS Education Chromebook
- enguarde – Senkatel C1101 Chromebook
- enguarde – True IDC Chromebook
- enguarde – Videonet Chromebook
- expresso – Bobicus Chromebook 11
- expresso – Consumer Chromebook
- expresso – Edxis Chromebook
- expresso – HEXA Chromebook Pi
- falco – HP Chromebook 14
- gandof – Toshiba Chromebook 2 (2015 Edition)
- glimmer – Lenovo ThinkPad 11e Chromebook
- gnawty – Acer Chromebook 11 (C730 / C730E)
- gnawty – Acer Chromebook 11 (C735)
- guado – ASUS Chromebox CN62
- hana – Lenovo N23 Yoga/Flex 11 Chromebook
- hana – Poin2 Chromebook 14heli – Haier Chromebook 11 G2
- kefka – Dell Chromebook 11 Model 3180
- kefka – Dell Chromebook 11 3189
- kevin – Samsung Chromebook Plus
- kip – HP Chromebook 11 2100-2199 / HP Chromebook 11 G3
- kip – HP Chromebook 11 2200-2299 / HP Chromebook 11 G4/G4 EE
- kip – HP Chromebook 14 ak000-099 / HP Chromebook 14 G4
- lars – Acer Chromebook 11 (C771, C771T)
- lars – Acer Chromebook 14 for work (CP5-471)
- leon – Toshiba Chromebook
- link – Google Chromebook Pixel
- lulu – Dell Chromebook 13 7310
- mccloud – Acer Chromebox
- monroe – LG Chromebase 22CB25S
- monroe – LG Chromebase 22CV241
- ninja – AOPEN Chromebox Commercial
- nyan-big – Acer Chromebook 13 (CB5-311)
- nyan-blaze – HP Chromebook 14 x000-x999 / HP Chromebook 14 G3
- nyan-kitty – Acer Chromebase
- orco – Lenovo 100S Chromebook
- panther – ASUS Chromebox CN60
- peach-pi – Samsung Chromebook 2 13″
- peach-pit – Samsung Chromebook 2 11″
- peppy – Acer C720 Chromebook
- quawks – ASUS Chromebook C300
- reks – Lenovo N22 (Touch) Chromebook
- reks – Lenovo N23 Chromebook
- reks – Lenovo N23 Chromebook (Touch)
- reks – Lenovo N42 (Touch) Chromebook
- relm – Acer Chromebook 11 N7 (C731)
- relm – CTL NL61 Chromebook
- relm – Edxis Education Chromebook
- relm – HP Chromebook 11 G5 EE
- relm – Mecer V2 Chromebook
- rikku – Acer Chromebox CXI2
- samus – Google Chromebook Pixel (2015)
- sentry – Lenovo Thinkpad 13 Chromebook
- setzer – HP Chromebook 11 G5 / HP Chromebook 11-vxxx
- squawks – ASUS Chromebook C200
- sumo – AOpen Chromebase Commercial
- swanky – Toshiba Chromebook 2
- terra – ASUS Chromebook C202SA
- terra – ASUS Chromebook C300SA/C301SA
- tidus – Lenovo ThinkCentre Chromebox
- tricky – Dell Chromebox
- ultima – Lenovo ThinkPad 11e Chromebook 3rd Gen (Yoga/Clamshell)
- veyron-fievel – AOpen Chromebox Mini
- veyron-jaq – Haier Chromebook 11
- veyron-jaq – Medion Akoya S2013veyron-jaq – True IDC Chromebook 11
- veyron-jaq – Xolo Chromebook
- veyron-jerry – CTL J2 / J4 Chromebook for Education
- veyron-jerry – eduGear Chromebook K Series
- veyron-jerry – Epik 11.6″ Chromebook ELB1101
- veyron-jerry – HiSense Chromebook 11
- veyron-jerry – Mecer Chromebook
- veyron-jerry – NComputing Chromebook CX100
- veyron-jerry – Poin2 Chromebook 11
- veyron-jerry – Positivo Chromebook CH1190
- veyron-jerry – VideoNet Chromebook BL10
- veyron-mickey – ASUS Chromebit CS10
- veyron-mighty – Chromebook PCM-116E
- veyron-mighty – eduGear Chromebook M Series
- veyron-mighty – Haier Chromebook 11e
- veyron-mighty – Lumos Education Chromebook
- veyron-mighty – MEDION Chromebook S2015
- veyron-mighty – Nexian Chromebook 11.6-inch
- veyron-mighty – Prowise 11.6″ Entry Line Chromebook
- veyron-mighty – Sector 5 E1 Rugged Chromebook
- veyron-mighty – Viglen Chromebook 11
- veyron-minnie – ASUS Chromebook Flip C100PA
- veyron-speedy – ASUS Chromebook C201PA
- veyron-tiger – AOpen Chromebase Mini
- winky – Samsung Chromebook 2 11 – XE500C12
- wizpig – CTL J5 Chromebook
- wizpig – Edugear CMT Chromebook
- wizpig – Haier Convertible Chromebook 11 C
- wizpig – PCMerge Chromebook PCM-116T-432B
- wizpig – Prowise ProLine Chromebook
- wizpig – Viglen Chromebook 360
- wolf – Dell Chromebook 11
- zako – HP Chromebox CB1-(000-099) / HP Chromebox G1/ HP Chromebox for Meetings
A full list of Chromebook devices have been updated in “Chrome Unboxed”, and if you have one of those devices, you can check what TPM firmware you have got by going to chrome://system, and then search for ‘TPM’ in the page (CTRL +F), and then close click the expand button next to TPM versions. If your Chromebook is using any of these following version, then your device is vulnerable
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- 000000000000041f – 4.31
- 0000000000000420 – 4.32
- 0000000000000628 – 6.40
- 0000000000008520 – 133.32
Updating the firmware requires you to wipe off the computer and so Google has decided to make the update optional. If you wish to be more secure, you can select Powerwash from the system settings. And when you go to reboot the device to finalize the reset, you have to click the checkbox that says, ‘Update firmware for added security’. You will then be asked to confirm the wipe. Once you confirm the wipe it’s all done. It’s sad to wipe off your Chromebook with the anticipation of Android apps since most of them don’t back up user data to the cloud like the rest of OS does.
You probably don’t need to update your Chromebook unless you have a state administrative secrets. But the inconvenience we have to suffer for a while for setting everything back up is worth being highly secure.
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