Response to Recent MALIBAL Blog Post Regarding 9elements

by Christian Walter

We have recently become aware of a blog post published by MALIBAL detailing their experience working with 9elements and other companies on a coreboot-related project. We take all client feedback seriously and wish to address some of the claims made in the post.

To clarify the timeline and nature of our engagement with MALIBAL:

  • In May 2023, MALIBAL approached us for coreboot firmware development but ultimately decided to proceed with a freelance engineer due to budget constraints.
  • In March 2024, they returned to us with an urgent request to develop coreboot and EDKII firmware, along with Embedded Controller firmware, under a tight timeline. While no formal contract was in place, we initiated work in good faith, aiming to provide flexible payment and project scope solutions to fit their budget.
  • Throughout the engagement, we encountered communication challenges, including frequent status update requests and a misalignment between expectations and technical realities. The initial firmware required considerable work before it could be tested on hardware, which understandably caused some delays. Unfortunately, during this period, the tone of communication from MALIBAL became less constructive.
  • Despite these difficulties, we remained committed to resolving the situation professionally. Ultimately, we undid the changes made to the hardware, returned it to MALIBAL, and ended the engagement without charging for any of the work performed. We parted ways on professional terms, with no strings attached.

We regret that this project did not yield the desired outcome for either party. However, we firmly believe that our team acted with professionalism and integrity throughout the process. While we are open to constructive feedback, we were surprised by the tone and non-technical accusations in the blog post, as they do not reflect the nature of our engagement. At 9elements, we have successfully collaborated with many clients on complex technical projects. If MALIBAL was unable to find a single vendor to fulfill their needs, it may be worth considering if the challenges lie elsewhere.

At 9elements, we strive to offer flexible, high-quality solutions to our clients, and we are committed to learning from every experience to continuously improve our services. Feel free to reach out to us via cybersecurity@9elements.com if you got any more questions or concerns.

coreboot also published an official statement on this: https://blogs.coreboot.org/blog/2024/10/29/response-to-blog-post-from-malibal/