MacBook’s T2 Will Prevent Eavesdropping on Your Microphone
Zack Whittaker (tweet, MacRumors):
Little was known about the chip until today. According to its newest published security guide, the chip comes with a hardware microphone disconnect feature that physically cuts the device’s microphone from the rest of the hardware whenever the lid is closed.
“This disconnect is implemented in hardware alone, and therefore prevents any software, even with root or kernel privileges in macOS, and even the software on the T2 chip, from engaging the microphone when the lid is closed,” said the support guide.
The camera isn’t disconnected, however, because its “field of view is completely obstructed with the lid closed.”
I’d like to personally thank HW engineering and HW bring-up teams at Apple and Intel for eSPI SAF capability of new chipsets.
Previously: October 2018 Apple Event, Micro Snitch 1.0.
Update (2018-11-06): Maxwell Swadling:
wait does this mean FaceTime audio in lid closed + monitor plugged in config also doesn’t work?…
Update (2018-11-12): See also: Hacker News.
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