SecureBoot is a funny one. It should be signed with the deployer's keys (Slovak), not the manufacturer's. Trusted boot probably wasn't a consideration here, really.
Ironically, a custom firmware can now be used thanks to the lack of a digital lock... if you still trust the hardware.
PS: Props to NBU for doing their job.
"Please use open source systems whenever possible so you can review the source code."
Are traffic cameras worth the risk of giving away the movement of your key personnel, military and political, in the age of drone warfare and targeted strikes?
While you raise good arguments against wide deployment, politics will not backtrack. Despite the loopholes, despite the vulnerabilities, despite real life precedents, the juggernaut will keep moving. Much like blackouts or internet outages (Canada) that make payments, digital communication impossible, people will not rely any less on cashless payments etc. That's the blackpill.
The Navy drones article is terrifying. The easier solution is to not have wars at all (lol) then the problem is reduced to only corporate espionage.
"similar price to closed source" -> Good argument. But what if the _lower price_ is only lower thanks to a vendor lock-in? Thus, over a long period of time, you don't get a better deal? Furthermore, here an expensive reverse-engineering project had to discover the backdoors? What was its cost? Why can't the government have this work done (new cameras) on a contract basis?
First step: "we want this and that, you may choose the hardware freely, but the project source code will be perpetually licensed to the government to use and extend upon." Second step: "we have this source code from the last contract, we want another 1000 of these traffic cameras with improved specs/features."
The belief, that the market will do anything right, perpetuates this system of outsourcing everything to the market. Though I don't think it can work any other way, because nobody among the government workers wants to bear responsibility and liability. It's much easier to give party B the money and then argue with them based on the paper trails. This is what they've been trained to do after all.