TPM cryptographic chip aims to end piracy

[scaR]

Unknown to many gamers, many of the PC's and motherboards they are buying now comes with this chip on it.

https://www.trustedcomputinggroup.org/news/events/rsa_2008/TPM_Guy_RSA.jpg

A Trusted Platform Module offers facilities for the secure generation of cryptographic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptography) keys (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_%28cryptography%29), and limitation of their use, in addition to a hardware (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardware) pseudo-random number generator (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Random_number_generator). It also includes capabilities such as remote attestation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusted_computing#Remote_attestation) and sealed storage (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusted_computing#Sealed_storage).

A Trusted Platform Module can be used to authenticate hardware devices. Since each TPM chip has a unique and secret RSA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSA) key burned in as it is produced, it is capable of performing platform authentication (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authentication). For example, it can be used to verify that a system seeking access is the expected system.

- Wikipedia

With this publishers can secure content to a single uniquely identifiable private key. This will be "uncrackable" by hackers and impossible to share by giving out the password. The end goal is to stop software piracy forever.

As the user base of TPM chips grow, so will the software that supports it. Once market penetration has enveloped the majority of PC users expect some software to be disabled unless a TPM chip is present.

The DRM nightmare has only just begun.

[ source : http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/52841 ]

[Xecutiona]

i for one hate DRM-type agreements which we are forced to accept...

but i really cant blame manufacturers of games who want to secure their intellectual property.

if i was a developer id sure as hell be on the bandwagon for this...how they develop the software to adjust for gamers who like to change their hardware alot is going to be the interesting thing.

the one thing that drives the purchase of a gfx card every 3 months when one "better" comes out is the games...id like to see the fallout If they remove the ability for the hardcore gamer to upgrade his hardware without the fear of not being able to play his games

[scaR]

The enthusiast market is very small, I doubt these people care about them. I've been doing some more research and it looks like these chips have been implemented in business machines and servers since 2005, desktop penetration in 2006 and laptops in late 2006 and onwards due to less room to place the chip.

Vista's Bitlocker works with the TPM chip as a more secure option.

I guess we're going to switch to Linux by force now.

[Xecutiona]

well i can see its application for business systems and security of data etc...along with the ability to trace by the unique code on the chip the ID of computers if they were to lets say...leak information, download a metallica song or watch a bootleg version of "A night in Paris".....


i could see however alot of public outcry over the use of that information...but meh, privacy issues dont matter anymore, the ENTIRE WORLD (aka america) is governed by the patriot act now..

oh damn it...i said patriot act. Hi NSA Tech dude who has no life but to spy on people talking about the patriot act!!!

oh damn it i said it 3 times...does that make me a terroriser?

[Ihsan]

Accepting DRM is suicide because ANY DEVICE WHICH IS NOT IN THE OWNER'S CONTROL IS USED AGAINST HIM. If M$ doesn't lock down your laptop a hacker will. TPM is just the last piece of the puzzle.

Everybody loves windows media's DRM (being sarcastic) so now, with vista, you can have this DRM "functionality" with all your software, DRIVERS (you heard me, DRIVERS) and DOCUMENTS.

One of many articles warning us about DRM (http://www.forbes.com/security/2007/02/10/microsoft-vista-drm-tech-security-cz_bs_0212vista.html)

Ubuntu shall save us all. (By providing a real alternative if M$ policy gets too draconian)