There was speculation that Microsoft had put to rest its controversial next-generation security system for Windows, Palladium. However, Palladium, renamed to the less-gloomy sounding Next-Generation Secure Computing Base, is set to make its first appearance in a Longhorn preview release at WinHEC 2005 later this month. Microsoft's group vice president for platforms, Jim Allchin, told reporters this week during a press tour to promote Longhorn that NGSCB is indeed back and the first pieces are slated for inclusion in the Longhorn client. A Trusted Platform Module would reside in the hardware, while the software contained the Trusted Operating Root. But software and hardware vendors balked at the idea of having to re-write applications to support the new technology - even if it promised better security. At WinHEC 2004, Microsoft admitted the concept was initially not well accepted. According to Microsoft Watch and BetaNews, Longhorn will isolate Internet Explorer in its own protected memory space, to keep the operating system safe from what lurks on the Internet. Additionally, Longhorn's startup will be locked down using a Trusted Platform Module. Allchin told Microsoft Watch the next phase for NGSCB, code-named "Unity," will involve software virtualization to wall off different pieces of an operating system. Microsoft is also working to secure input and output, which includes trusted hardware and graphics. Source: Winbeta.org
"Microsoft is also working to secure input and output, which includes trusted hardware and graphics." Since when? This should be an interesting thing to keep an eye on. Promised security..that was SP2, wasn't it? Gee..I'm such a bitch at times. Don't worry Microsoft, I love you really!
Yeah, basically it's a special chipset on the motherboard which will not allow "unsigned" software to run on the system. This has many reprocussions for end users, not the least of which is that the whole concept takes fundamental control of the system away from the owner, and gives it to the companies instead. A frightening concept, if you ask me. This technology used to be called 'trusted computing', which is almost oxymoronic. Opponents of this platform have taken to calling it "untrustworthy computing".
"MS's secuirity solution will be apocalyptic" -Nick Carter Just had to be tredny and quote. Even though it's myself.
