[107754] in Cypherpunks
CDR: Info on Intel's stupid cpu tricks [/.]
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Jim Choate)
Fri Jan 22 12:11:46 1999
From: Jim Choate <ravage@EINSTEIN.ssz.com>
To: cypherpunks@EINSTEIN.ssz.com
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1999 10:25:37 -0600 (CST)
Reply-To: Jim Choate <ravage@EINSTEIN.ssz.com>
----- Forwarded message from Jim Choate -----
X-URL: http://www4.tomshardware.com/releases/99q1/990121/cpu-news-01.html
By Tom Pabst
Intel
Implementation of New Identification Number into Upcoming Intel CPUs
There is quite a bit wind about Pat Gelsinger's announcement at the
RSA Data Security Conference and Expo '99 of Intel's new strategy of
implementing an identification number into every CPU, which is
supposed to be transferred over the Internet for security reasons.
This identification number will come along with a very effective
random number generator that's using "the thermal noise of a
semiconductor resistor to generate high-quality random and
nondeterministic numbers". The idea behind this identification number,
which will only be implemented into Pentium III and later Intel CPUs,
is to ensure the "trusted connected computer". The identification
number, coded with the random number, is supposed to improve Internet
security, which is of highest importance for any kind of e-commerce.
With this new number, your CPU and thus your system can be clearly
identified, which may be an easy way of fighting fraud over the
Internet. The negative thing about this number is the fact that it
endangers your privacy on the Internet, with the system identification
you can possibly be tracked, whatever you do on the Internet. This is
why the transfer of the CPU serial number can be turned off by you,
and since security reasons kept Intel from implementing a command that
can turn it back on again, you need to reboot your system to access
e-commerce websites that require your identification number.
This is a listing of Intel's ideas behind the new feature:
[text deleted]
----- End of forwarded message from Jim Choate -----
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The Armadillo Group ,::////;::-. James Choate
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