People (well, most reasonably aware people) understand that a cellphone is basically a small computer, and it has a processor and memory and storage, and executes code, etc. And it's nice to be able to update/modify that code to change how the device operates, and somewhat obnoxious when you can't. (To a limit: it's also obnoxious and dangerous when someone else can change that code without letting you know.)
In the case of SD cards, many people assume that they are "dumb" devices. They don't realize that they have a processor (microcontroller) which executes code, and that it's not functionally equivalent to a floppy / Zip disk / CD / pick-your-favorite-dumb-storage-metaphor.
I don't think this is the last time we're going to run into this issue ... an increasing number of devices have embedded, potentially-reprogrammable microcontrollers (laptop batteries, power supply bricks, headphones, to name just a few) that could be used as attack vectors, or as platforms for cool hacks.
The solution, IMO, is not to just further obfuscate the programming method, but to make the code easier to inspect/validate and maybe even reflash, so that users can ensure that the devices are running what they think it's running.
Comments
I think it's an expectations-management issue.
People (well, most reasonably aware people) understand that a cellphone is basically a small computer, and it has a processor and memory and storage, and executes code, etc. And it's nice to be able to update/modify that code to change how the device operates, and somewhat obnoxious when you can't. (To a limit: it's also obnoxious and dangerous when someone else can change that code without letting you know.)
In the case of SD cards, many people assume that they are "dumb" devices. They don't realize that they have a processor (microcontroller) which executes code, and that it's not functionally equivalent to a floppy / Zip disk / CD / pick-your-favorite-dumb-storage-metaphor.
I don't think this is the last time we're going to run into this issue ... an increasing number of devices have embedded, potentially-reprogrammable microcontrollers (laptop batteries, power supply bricks, headphones, to name just a few) that could be used as attack vectors, or as platforms for cool hacks.
The solution, IMO, is not to just further obfuscate the programming method, but to make the code easier to inspect/validate and maybe even reflash, so that users can ensure that the devices are running what they think it's running.