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IBM Running Linux On Secure Hardware

Posted by timothy on from the don't-lose-your-password dept.

Schmad writes: "IBM announced at LinuxWorld today that IBM Research and Cryptographic Appliances have Linux running on FIPS 140 Level 4 hardware. Imagine, Linux running in a totally secure environment! Peter Gutmann, father of the crypto toolkit cryptlib, has some things to say about it here."

3 of 143 comments (clear)

  1. I think some of you are missing the point by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Perhaps before strings of "it's not this or that in terms of security", you should read the white papers on the IBM 4758 design, so you at least understand the issues before making broad and sweeping comments.

    More importantly, being able to run something like SE Linux inside of a piece of tamper responsive hardware that has isolation mechanisms offers the ability to securely run software in places where it can't be physically assured. Even for things like data center applications, the possibilites are broad.

  2. Re:Allows for protection of intellectual property? by Diomedes01 · · Score: 2, Insightful
    So this new hardware will allow for the protection of intellectual property, which in turn will allow for cesorship and government control over the internet. This doesn't sound like good news to me.

    Jesus H. Christ on a freakin' popsicle stick, man! I am really tired of people who immediately blow up when they hear the phrase "intellectual property". Yes, there have been some stupid patents approved by the US Patent Office. Yes, companies have been crying "protect intellectual property" whenever someone comes up with a way to view/edit/manipulate "protected" data. Does this mean that intellectual property is bad? No.

    All this means is that some intellectual property laws need overhauling, and the Patent Office needs a swift kick in the ass. I bet that if you invented something that could conceivably make you a lot of money, you wouldn't want every Joe Schmoe making a cheap knock-off of it and selling it for 1/4 the price you could have charged. Someone will always lose; TANSTAAFL. Either the inventors lose, and there's no more innovation, or the consumers pay a bit more and support people who are inventing and making our world better.
    --
    "To hope's end I rode and to heart's breaking: Now for wrath, now for ruin and a red nightfall!"
  3. um, huh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    It isn't like these cards and systems were running windows before you know. This doesn't prove anything in that department. What it does prove is that IBM feels the linux kernel is superior to their proprietary one. Still a nice feather in Linux's cap but not a 'wind0ze is sux lol' situation.