At 06:00 PM 11/9/97 -0800, Vladimir Z. Nuri wrote:
there are new schemes in the works by which Intel etc. are trying to deal with this, including a remarkable scheme in which new microcode can be downloaded to the chip. it also involves encryption in which one needs to know the encryption mechanism for the chip to accept the new instructions. apparently it's done in such a way that no one except those who know the encryption can successfully alter the chip.
Of course, this means that your least favorite TLA can introduce whatever "features" they desire on your machine if they can install a Trojan horse or virus on it...any security through obscurity scheme should be assumed to be known by the government. Jonathan Wienke PGP Key Fingerprints: 7484 2FB7 7588 ACD1 3A8F 778A 7407 2928 3312 6597 8258 9A9E D9FA 4878 C245 D245 EAA7 0DCC "If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains set lightly upon you; and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen." -- Samuel Adams "Stupidity is the one arena of of human achievement where most people fulfill their potential." -- Jonathan Wienke RSA export-o-matic: print pack"C*",split/\D+/,`echo "16iII*o\U@{$/=$z;[(pop,pop,unpack"H*",<> )]}\EsMsKsN0[lN*1lK[d2%Sa2/d0<X+d*lMLa^*lN%0]dsXx++lMlN/dsM0<J]dsJxp"|dc`