[RTTY] FTDI Secret Update BRICKS users counterfeit chips

[Joe Subich, W4TV]

NO!  Violet Blue has not done her due diligence and is only reporting
the "yellow journalism" version of the story.  Check outer sources ...
The update does not *destroy* the chip - it removes the FTDI PID (which
improperly identifies the counterfeit as genuine FTDI) by setting PID
to 0000 and the FTDI drivers will no longer work with it.

If one has a counterfeit FTDI chip there are already PID 0000 drivers
released by hackers.  However, those drivers are *UNSIGNED* which means
they are not tested for compatibility with Windows by Microsoft, need
special installation (disable signing enforcement to install) and will
not be updated by Windows Update.

73,

    ... Joe, W4TV


On 2014-10-24 11:35 AM, Ben Antanaitis - WB2RHM 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
>