Quote Originally Posted by bridgman View Post
(microcode really, not firmware), it's just built into the chip and doesn't have a published update mechanism. The x86 processors have built-in microcode plus a patch mechanism, which somehow makes them "less open-source".
Arm still has no microcode right? As for having a microcode update mechanism, in some ways that does open a potential security threat, however that is assuming there were no security threats in the design to begin with (either accidental through a bug or purposefully placed there), and being able to patch a potential vulnerability is of course important, I can understand arguments on both sides.

When it comes to China's 'government', I don't trust them any less than I trust the US government (stuxnet, flame) which is to say, 'not at all'.