[RTTY] FTDI Secret Update BRICKS users counterfeit chips

[Peter Laws]

Same reply I posted in another forum:

Since counterfeit items are the same as stealing from the legitimate
manufacturer, I can't say as I blame them.

All the driver update does is rewrite the part of the USB identifier
from the (ill-gotten) FTDI code to 0000.  There has been some success
with putting those back to the original (ill-gotten) code.  Someone,
maybe even the counterfeiters, will soon have a program that allows
you to use your counterfeit chip.

On Fri, Oct 24, 2014 at 10:35 AM, Ben Antanaitis - WB2RHM
<wb2rhm at wb2rhm.com> wrote:
> ALERT!
>
> ALL............   FTDI admitted that some devices USB to Serial, UART, etc
> chips bearing the FTDI logo were counterfeits....... and a recent Windows
> driver update REPROGRAMS the USERS device..... TURNING IT INTO A
> BRICK!!!!!!!!   We aren't talking about the PROLIFIC driver that just warned
> the user of a conterfeit chip and DID NOT DESTROY it, BUT FTDI deliberately
> BRICKING the device by reprogramming it.   Beware of updates bearing
> gifts.......
>
> http://www.zdnet.com/ftdi-admits-to-bricking-innocent-users-chips-in-silent-update-7000035019/?s_cid=e539&ttag=e539&ftag=TRE17cfd61
>
> 73,
>
> Ben - WB2RHM
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> RTTY mailing list
> RTTY at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rtty



-- 
Peter Laws | N5UWY | plaws plaws net | Travel by Train!