I am not a big computer bloke, but this seems to be a problem, even to my mind:
http://thebridgelifeinthemix.info/technology/cor-vpro/#sthash.VGVbewAQ.dpbs
“The new Intel Core vPro processors contain a new remote access feature which allows absolute remote access to a PC all of the time, even if the computer is turned off. And if you thought not connecting your PC to the internet solves the issue, think again, the wifi system can do it for them. Core vPro processors contain a second physical processor embedded within the main processor which has its own operating system embedded on the chip itself. As long as the power supply is available and in working condition, it can be woken up by the Core vPro processor, which runs on the system’s phantom power and is able to quietly turn individual hardware components on and access anything on them. Real world use for Core vPro processors will involve the following :
Accessing any PC anywhere, no matter what operating system is installed, even if it is physically disconnected from the internet. You see, Core vPro processors work in conjunction with Intel’s new Anti Theft 3.0, which put 3g connectivity into every Intel CPU after the Sandy Bridge version of the I3/5/7 processors. Users do not get to know about that 3g connection, but it IS there. You might think, I am not stupid so I will unplugged his router. Unfortunately, that won’t work, because anti theft 3.0 always has that 3g connection on also, even if the computer is turned off. And now the real reason for your finicky security habits will be known to the NSA you found a way to route photons to any place in the world without any sort of cable. You revolutionised communications.
You were going public when you returned from your vacation, but thanks to your new Core vPro processors, a major communications firm is going to go public with your invention Before you get home, and your research will be deleted and replaced with criminal activity so you will be arrested when you get back and unable to speak about the theft of your invention. Fascism is Great. If a system has the ram chips pulled, a Core vPro processor will read the hard disk anyway because it has all the ram it needs embedded in the vPro core. If you encrypted your hard drive, a Core vPro processor will read it anyway, because it snagged your encryption key. If your system has been taken apart, and has no video card, ram, floppy, or hard drive, your Core vPro processor nailed you, because you left a flash drive plugged in. Or a CD in the CD drive. And what about that web cam? The bottom line? The Core vPro processor is the end of any pretend privacy."
The above article was dated 2015, and there has been a lot of water under the computer bridge since then, but I have been seeing this issue posted on recent internet blogs, so I wonder if there was a real problem, or was this a waste of a worry? Life is full of mysteries.