Quote from: NotATether on Today at 12:49:26 PM

Well, I know there's a lot of conspiracy about Intel Management Engine, but let's be realistic:

Even in the event that it is proven that the IME is collecting telemetry and has all these spy capabilities, how do you think it's going get traffic out to the internet?

To be realistic - Intel ME is a separate microcontroller running its own OS independently from CPU that is on the same bus with ethernet, which means it can do anything a normal OS can do once there is uplink. It also has a dedicated MAC address.

Quote from: NotATether on Today at 12:49:26 PM

Particularly if the computer is airgapped then there is nothing to worry about.
But I don't see the IME having the throughput to divert 100Mbps block and transaction traffic from a full node to it's own little MINIX drivers.

Not the OP's case already. They don't plan to have an airgapped computer at all.

Note that the OP's objectives for that machine are also "store bitcoin, earn bitcoin, spend bitcoin, Bisq to buy Bitcoin and Lightning network software. ".

Quote from: NotATether on Today at 12:49:26 PM

If you still need the ME disabled then it can be done by activating High-Assurance Platform mode: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Management_Engine#%22High_Assurance_Platform%22_mode

The HAP bit only tells Intel ME to switch off which won't guarantee it's actually switched off. You must trust Intel to assume it's switched off completely.

Quote from: NotATether on Today at 12:49:26 PM

...cOnSpIrAcY...

Since when being skeptical about closed-source firmware and software that can't be verified is considered "conspiracy"?

Is assuming that some custodial closed-source Bitcoin wallet can steal your funds also a conspiracy theory?

By the way, do you mean having a potential ring -3 rootkit produced by an NSA contractor embedded into your system should be trusted and raise no questions?