Intel Launches DRM-Enabled CPUs for Phones and Handhelds

squidfrog writes "AP reports, 'The next generation of Intel Corp. microprocessors for cell phones and handheld computers will, for the first time, include hard-wired security features that can enforce copy protection and help prevent hackers from wreaking havoc on wireless networks.' Or more ominously, 'The same technology also can be used to ensure that content such as music or movies is used in a way dictated by the copyright holder. A purchased song, for instance, would not play unless it's sure that it's authorized and running on secure hardware.'" Intel has a press release.

Comments

Re:So now...

[TerminalInsanity]

your phone company, or whoever you donwloaded that ringtone from, already payed for the rights to have it available to its customers as a ringtone

Thank god for AMD

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm certain we'd be seeing DRM built into our computer CPU's already as well if it weren't for the competition from AMD. I dread the day that both companies get together and say "ok, let's do this thing." Then we'll be fucked.

Re:Thank god for AMD

[Mafia$oft]

I'm afraid you don't have a f***kin' clue about that stuff:
AMD has been a FOUNDING MEMBER of the TCPA board!
(repeat: FOUNDING, FOUNDING, FOUNDING MEMBER)

In other words, better don't hold your breath too much that AMD will do what's in the interests of consumers...

TCPA unfortunately really seems to be an almost industry-wide initiative by hardware vendors (and, of course, certain software vendors who are scared of the new-gained freedom of PC users...).

We will have to fight it tooth and nail.

Vote with your feet for all it's worth.

[dhowells]

Of course we can always `vote with our feet' and just not buy their product, but as always with the slashdot BOYCOTT $insert_company, it is doomed to fail because the non tech crowd just dont get it.

Indeed instead of talking about it on slashdot (or other geek media) as I am now, we really need to talk to the MASS media about these things. When the EU version of the DMCA came out (EUCD) I put up stickers around my home town entitled `NO EUCD'. Perhaps people to whom this REALLY is worrying, ought to consider a similarly proactive course:

Write to your MP/Govenor, Write to the Times/Herald_Tribune, Tell your friends. And remember, `If there is hope, it lies with the proles'.

D.

Not the end of the world, folks...

[Weaselmancer]

From the article:

To provide system and application engineers the ability to fully utilize the features of the Intel PXA27x processor family, Intel is providing the Intel® Compiler and Intel® Integrated Performance Primitives, as well as optimized board support packages with drivers and power management software. Key OS vendors and ISVs like Sony Music Entertainment* have utilized these tools to create a comprehensive library of applications optimized for the new processors.

The way I read that, is that this processor has a few commands built into it that help make or validate keys. Notice how the DRM is built into the application and not the OS. The article also says this:

The Intel 2700G multimedia accelerator delivers DVD-quality video playback on VGA displays and supports a wide range of video formats such as MPEG-2, MPEG-4 and Microsoft* Windows Media Video9.

I take that to mean that it can do some key-type checking, but again - it's not part of the OS. In fact, the article also says this:

The phone platform supports full-featured operating systems from companies like Microsoft*, PalmSource*, Symbian* as well as MontaVista* Linux and Java* environments.

It runs Linux, so...DRM is already optional.

So, unless there's other documentation somewhere stating otherwise, I don't believe this is true "trusted computing" big-brother-knows-best DRM. I'd guess that the CPU has a few custom instructions that help doing RSA or something like that.

Weaselmancer

Re:Have you ever soldered a cell phone?

[exp(pi*sqrt(163))]

The number of people whose PS2's have been modded by soldering is far greater than the number of people with PS2's who can solder. That's why there are companies providing this service. And because there are companies doing this, and making non-trivial amounts of money, it's worthwhile for some individuals to invest an effort into cracking the system.

Re:Palladium

[Anonymous Coward]

www.downhillbattle.org

Re:Mod chip?

[Alsee]

sounds an awful lot like circumvention of an encryption device

Yes, an interesting issue. I expect the DMCA to be overturned as unconstitutional the first time they actually convict someone for circumvention. Nope, no one has ever been convicted under it, chuckle. And without a convition there's never been any opportunity to overturn it yet.

But anyway, even assuming the DMCA is valid, I'm pretty sure that reading out your key is not actually a DMCA violation. Their entire PR-machine has sworn up and down that Trusted Computing is not itself a DRM system - merely that DRM software could run on top of it. So you can use their own missleading PR against them, lol! Also, the DMCA only applies to a protection measure actually on a copyrighted work. You get your key on a blank system - it's not actually protecting anything!

Also, the system involves two keys. A private endorsement key and a StorageRootKey. The endorsment key is only used for signing, it never protects anything. Everything is encrupted under the storage key. To defeat the system you only need to read the endorsment key. The storage key doesn't even exist when you first get the chip anyway.

Using the endorsment key to run an emulated Trust system would not be a DMCA violation in itself. Accessing a DRM'd file on that emulated system would be a rather grey area. Altering the emulator to then export the unencrypted file would probably be a clear DMCA violation. Ooo, a violation of an unconstitutional law, chuckle.

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