EFF paper on "Trusted Computing"

[mobrien_12]

The EFF has published a very good paper on "trusted computing."

http://www.eff.org/Infra/trusted_computing/20031001_tc.php

It presents the benefits of TC first.  Then it goes into details about how it can be abused, particularly by software manufacturs.  In particular, it can be abused to further software lock-in.  For example, web servers can be built with TC that will only work with a certain kind of web browser (say MSIE) and it will be "impossible" to bypass this.  

There are other good points in there.

[Xeen]

Does anyone know:

1. What the hell is being seriously done to stop this TC/DRM/Palladium, etc line of anti-consumer ideas from becoming a complete reality?

2. Where do important people/governments stand on this issue? Particularly the US govt and congress?

3. What is being done to educate the public on this?

4. How will DRM/Palladium/Trusted Computing affect Linux? Macs? Open Source?

5. When will Bill Gates be creamed again?

This isn't the first time I've read one of these articles. And yet each time I do I get frightened. If nothing is done on a massive scale to stop this, we're looking at a policed computing age in about 3-5 years.

[Faust]

quote:For example, web servers can be built with TC that will only work with a certain kind of web browser (say MSIE) and it will be "impossible" to bypass this.

And illegal as well - I remember reading that bypassing DRM protection for anything (file formats, filesystems...) will be illegal and constitute "circumventing a security measure."  So lets guess whos favorite convicted felon of a company is going to try and stop everyone else from interacting with its users?

[mushrooomprince]

Thats basically what it is:  " Trusted Computing"

if you buy microsoft windows your basically trusting microsoft with with everything on your computer and everything running your computer, since there won't be anything you can do to change the way your computer operates.


Microsoft users basically have a lot of blind faith.

[solarismka]

The fact that the people who use 'Trusted Computing' as a better security model is complete bullshit!

I have all the security I need right now on this box!

And its linux!  I do not need to hand over any part of my machine to corperations, goverments or anything/anyone else just so I can be secure.

Even now, OpenBSD has only 1 remote hole in 6 years and that OS can run on older machines going back to 386's.  So if that is the case, if its not for security then what is it there for?  Well the above posts have already answered it already!  Its to inforce copywrite laws.  These same laws that already make criminals out of hard working people!  

So that corperations and goverments can get rich while the people are inslaved by their own vision and narrow minded political adjendas.  

DRM/TCPA has never been a good idea, it was never put there for the people.  This, I see is their last futile stance in keeping their control in an ever expencive, heavly taxed, high fee world!

 

quote:  Security has nothing to do with many sites' motivations for preventing the use of disfavored software. Indeed, their reasons may be entirely arbitrary. In some cases, a site operator wants to force you to use a particular program in order to subject you to advertising. By verifying your use of an "approved" client, the site can satisfy itself that you have been forced to view a certain number of advertisements.

Of course I could force windows users only to use IE so I could exploit it at will    

well, of cource m$ is going to abuse this! Their the only company I know that does this kinda shit!  

Also its not going to make winblows any more secure.  To do that they have to know what they are doing now and since windows is stolen from other peoples OS'es and ideas, it going to be very unlikly they can do anything in area of security.  Except to piss off their users of course.  

 

[ October 16, 2003: Message edited by: -=Solaris.M.K.A=- ]  

[ October 16, 2003: Message edited by: -=Solaris.M.K.A=- ]