19 Feb
1993
19 Feb
'93
5:58 a.m.
The specific instruction is the so-called "NSA instruction" which John Gilmore identified some time ago.
Sun Microsystems was ordered by the NSA to redesign their chips to capture keys, which is why the SPARC processor was introduced. SPARC stands for "Sun Processor Allowing Remote Capture."
Interestingly enough, V9 SPARC has a population count (number of bits set in word) instruction that was put in specificly at the request of No Such Agency. Jim