Trusted Computing Frequently Asked Questions (2003)
a day ago
- #Trusted Computing
- #Digital Rights Management
- #Computer Security
- TCPA (Trusted Computing Platform Alliance), now TCG, and Palladium, now NGSCB, are initiatives led by Intel and Microsoft to create a secure computing platform that prevents tampering with applications and enables secure communication with vendors.
- Primary applications include digital rights management (DRM) to control copying of media (e.g., DVDs, music), enforce software licensing (detecting and deleting pirated software remotely), and enable new marketing models like pay-per-use or limited-play media.
- TCPA/Palladium could be used for mandatory access controls on documents (e.g., government or corporate confidentiality), electronic payment systems, and remote censorship, potentially allowing deletion of content deemed offensive by courts or companies.
- The technology involves a hardware component (often called a 'Fritz' chip) that verifies system integrity during boot, checks for approved hardware/software, and enforces security policies set by remote servers, enabling trusted interactions with third parties like content providers.
- Economic implications include strengthening incumbent companies (e.g., Microsoft, Intel) at the expense of innovation and small businesses, potentially harming industries like smartcards in Europe, and enabling new revenue models through controlled access and compatibility locking.
- Concerns include threats to user freedom, privacy, and fair use; potential abuse for political censorship; undermining open-source software licenses like the GPL; and centralizing control over computers, raising antitrust and sovereignty issues.
- Users may have limited ability to disable TCPA/Palladium features, but doing so could restrict functionality of trusted applications, similar to switching from Windows to Linux with reduced compatibility.
- The technology is already emerging in products like IBM laptops and Windows XP features, with future integration into processors planned, and has sparked opposition from civil liberties groups and experts due to its wide-ranging social and economic impacts.