Developer | Purism |
---|---|
Manufacturer | Purism |
Type | Laptop/Netbook, Desktop, Smartphone, Server |
Release date | 2014 |
Operating system | PureOS, QubesOS |
CPU | Intel Core |
Graphics | Intel HD Graphics |
Marketing target | Computer security purpose |
Website | puri |
Librem is a line of computers manufactured by Purism, SPC featuring free (libre) software.[1][2] The laptop line is designed to protect privacy and freedom by providing no non-free (proprietary) software in the operating system or kernel,[3][4][5][6] avoiding the Intel Active Management Technology,[7] and gradually freeing and securing firmware.[8][9] Librem laptops feature hardware kill switches for the microphone, webcam, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.[1][2]
In 2014, Purism launched a crowdfunding campaign on Crowd Supply to fund the creation and production of the Librem 15 laptop,[10] conceived as a modern alternative to existing open-source hardware laptops, all of which used older hardware.[11][12][13] The 15 in the name refers to its 15-inch screen size. The campaign succeeded after extending the original campaign,[14] and the laptops were shipped to backers.[15] In a second revision of the laptop, hardware kill switches for the camera, microphone, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth were added.
After the successful launch of the Librem 15, Purism created another campaign on Crowd Supply for a 13-inch laptop called the Librem 13,[16] which also came with hardware kill switches similar to those on the Librem 15v2.[17] The campaign was again successful and the laptops were shipped to customers.[18]
Purism announced in December 2016 that it would start shipping from inventory rather than building to order with the new batches of Librem 15 and 13.[19]
As of January 2023[update], Purism has one laptop model in production, the Librem 14 (version 1, US$1,370[20]).
Librem model | Coreboot version | CPU | Intel ME | Release | Max RAM (GB) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
15 v1[21] | Intel Core i7 5557U | Enabled | July 2015 | 32 | |
13 v1[22] | 4.21 (2023)[23] | Intel Core i5 5200U | Enabled | September 2015 | 16 |
15 v2[24] | 4.21 (2023)[25] | Intel Core i7-5557U | Enabled | September 2015 | 32 |
13 v2[26] | 4.21 (2023)[27] | Intel Core i5 6200U | Disabled | June 14, 2017 | 16 |
15 v3[26] | 4.21 (2023)[28] | Intel Core i7 6500U | Disabled | June 28, 2017 | 32 |
13 v3[29] | 4.6 (2017)[30] | Intel Core i7 6500U | Disabled | October 2017 | 16 |
15 v4 | 4.21 (2023)[31] | Intel Core i7 7500U | Disabled[32] | January 2019 | 32 |
13 v4[33] | 4.21 (2023)[34] | Intel Core i7 7500U | Disabled[32] | January 2019 | 16 |
14 v1[35] | 4.21 (2023)[36] | Intel Core i7 10710U | Disabled (but not "neutralized")[37][unreliable source] | early Q4 2020 | 64 |
The Librem Mini is a small form factor desktop computer,[38] which began shipping in June 2020.[39]
Librem model | Coreboot version | CPU | Intel ME | Release | Max RAM (GB) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mini V1 | 4.21 (2023)[40] | Intel Core i7-8565U | Disabled (but not "neutralized")[37][unreliable source] | March 2020[41] | 64 |
Mini V2 | 4.21 (2023)[40] | Intel Core i7-10510U | Disabled (but not "neutralized")[37][unreliable source] | November 2020[42][43] | 64 |
Main article: Librem 5 |
On August 24, 2017, Purism started a crowdfunding campaign for the Librem 5, a smartphone aimed to run 100% free software, which would "[focus] on security by design and privacy protection by default". Purism claimed that the phone would become "the world's first ever IP-native mobile handset, using end-to-end encrypted decentralized communication."[44] Purism cooperated with KDE and GNOME in its development of Librem 5.[45]
Security features of the Librem 5 include separation of the CPU from the baseband processor,[46] which, according to Linux Magazine, makes the Librem 5 unique in comparison to other mobile phones.[45] The Librem 5 also features hardware kill switches for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth communication and the phone's camera, microphone, and baseband processor.[47]
The default operating system for the Librem 5 is Purism's PureOS, a Debian derivative. The operating system uses a new user interface called Phosh, based on Wayland, wlroots, GTK and GNOME middleware.[48] It is planned that Phosh/Plasma Mobile,[45] Ubuntu Touch,[49] and postmarketOS can also be installed on the phone.
The release of the Librem 5 has been postponed several times. In September 2018, Purism announced that the launch date of Librem 5 would be moved from January to April 2019, because of two hardware bugs and the holiday season in Europe and North America.[50] The Librem 5's DevKits for software developers were shipped in December 2018. The launch date was later postponed to the third quarter because of the necessity of further CPU tests.[51] and on September 24, 2019, Purism announced that the first batch of Librem 5 phones had started shipping.[52] The finished version of the Librem 5, known as "Evergreen", was finally shipped on November 18, 2020.[53]
The Librem server is a rack mounted server, released to the public in December 2019.[54]
Announced on 20 September 2018, the Librem Key is a hardware USB security token with multiple features, including integration with a tamper-evident Heads BIOS, that ensures a Librem laptop Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) was not maliciously altered since the last laptop launch.[55] Also a one-time password storage with 3x HMAC-based One-time Password algorithm (HOTP) (RFC 4226) and 15 x Time-based One-time Password algorithm (TOTP) (RFC 6238) and an integrated password manager (16 entries), 40 kbit/s true random number generator, and a tamper-resistant smart card. The key supports type A USB 2.0, has dimensions of 48 x 19 x 7 mm, and weights 6 g.[56]
Main article: PureOS |
Initially planning to preload its Librem laptops with the Trisquel operating system,[57] Purism eventually moved off the Trisquel platform to rebase onto Debian for the 2.0 release of its PureOS Linux operating system.[58] As an alternative to PureOS, Librem laptops are purchasable with Qubes OS preinstalled.[59] In December 2017 the Free Software Foundation added PureOS to its list of endorsed GNU/Linux distributions.[60][61]
In 2015, Purism began research to port the Librem 13 to coreboot[62][63][64] but the effort was initially stalled. By the end of the year, a coreboot developer completed an initial port of the Librem 13 and submitted it for review.[65] In December 2016, hardware enablement developer Youness Alaoui joined Purism and was tasked to complete the coreboot port for the original Librem 13 and prepare a port for the second revision of the device.[66] Since summer 2017, new Librem laptops are shipped with coreboot as their standard BIOS, and updates are available for all older models.[67]
Purism calls a collection of below mentioned six components, involved in the boot process, as PureBoot:[68]
PureBoot protects the users from various attacks like theft, BIOS Malware and Kernel Rootkits, vulnerabilities and malicious code in the Intel Management Engine and interdiction.[68]