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IBM Shipping More PCs with Trust Chips

Posted by michael on from the trust-us dept.

rts008 submits this EWeek story about IBM shipping more computers with trusted computing inside. Since the article mentions none of the downsides, we should: trusted chips will eventually be used by software manufacturers to make sure the computer's owner does not do anything with the software which the manufacturer does not want to permit.

5 of 476 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Paranoia or truth? by Cyclops · · Score: 5, Informative
    Yeah, paranoia is fun and all, but I wouldn't mind a few links to support the downsides claim.
    You'ld think IBM would know better than to associate the word "Trust" with "Technology". That combination is like a buzzword for suspicion to the Tech-wise.
    Are the `Trusted Computing' Frequently Asked Questions a good start for you?

    You should also read Can you trust your computer? and The right to read, both by Richard Stallman

    This last particular one is very insidious about effects made possible by Treacherous Computing.
  2. Re:Trusted computing is already here... by MoonBuggy · · Score: 4, Informative

    Yes, it's already here in mobile phones and it's already been used to cripple a perfectly good handset's bluetooth stack meaning images can only be sent over the cell network at an extortionate data rate rather than being beamed straight across the gap between two bluetooth phones. I think I'll take my chances on the viruses thanks. BTW, I'm running some nice open source apps on my P900 which I doubt would've been created if they needed signing (maybe why I can get apps for my SE P900 but I never could for my T610) - hell, even Opera Mobile Browser came up with an 'unsigned code' warning when I installed it, but I can click 'install anyway' on the Symbian model and I'm quite happy with that - there's no override on the T610.

  3. Re:Can I trust my computer? by einhverfr · · Score: 4, Informative

    Most fo the software I run consists of stable, widely accepted projects which have good maintenance records and a large community of coders behind them.

    I trust this software more than I trust software from businesses who do not have the incentive to put out quality products....

    --

    LedgerSMB: Open source Accounting/ERP
  4. Re:IBM by linguae · · Score: 5, Informative

    You're correct. Both articles talk about how Steve Jobs and Apple don't support "trusted" computing.

  5. Trusted != Trustworthy by MacGabhain · · Score: 4, Informative
    From a security standpoint, the word "Trusted" refers any entity (computer or not) which is able to violate the security policy, and thus is "trusted" not to do so. "Trustworthy" refers to entities which are reasonably believed to be sufficiently unlikely to violate the security policy, and thus are worthy of being trusted.

    Given this particular definition, "trusted" is exactly the right thing to call this sort of hardware, although perhaps "blindly trusted computing" would be better.