'Palladium' is now known as NGSCB

[Apoptosis]

NGSCB — the hardware/software security system formerly code-named "Palladium" — has been one of the most controversial components expected to debut in the version of Windows that's due out in 2006+.

I know many are freaked out about this hardware form of security, but here is some hope:

Microsoft is continuing to be vague about exactly how much of its NGSCB code will ship as part of Longhorn. Company officials have gone on record saying that customers would not be impacted by the technology until Microsoft delivered Version 2 of the NGSCB platform. The company has not provided a date for Version 2.

In spite of these facts, the plan of record continues to be to deliver Version 1 of its NGSCB technology as part of Longhorn, said Juarez.

Looks like microsoft is running behind and that there is no date for the full hardware/software big brother combo coming to a PC near you all too soon.

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1585354,00.asp

[Digital Puppy]

This article seems to indicate that MS is dropping it's plan for Palladium all together and will be focusing in on developing for AMDs 64-bit processors.

[Apoptosis]

wow... This is shocking and I have been following Palladium since 2002. I did notice something odd in the article.

After a year of tackling the Windows security nightmare, Microsoft has killed its Next-Generation Secure Computing Base (NGSCB) project

Then later in the article they said:

Though Microsoft plans to use the NGSCB "compartmentalizing" technology in future versions of Windows

This just sounds like another rename of the same technology. Sure they are changing some of the key parts of the technology, but I'm not jumping on the "yeah it's dead bandwagon" just yet. I have a feeling it will be back and better than ever!

What you guys think?

[alister]

According to this article

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=15737

MS is dropping Palladium for AMD NX bit.

[Apoptosis]

Anyone have a good link about NX? So far it looks to be a security flag in the 64-bit X86 instruction set on the new Athlon 64 cpu's only.

I must have overlooked this NX technology and AMD never mentioned it to me when I reviewed the initial Athlon 64 FX-5x series CPU's

[Apoptosis]

anyone willing to help explain all the NX stuff?

[alister]

anyone willing to help explain all the NX stuff?

The only thing that I have heard about it is this:

From Tom's Hardware
"There is, for example, the Athlon64's NX-Bit (no execute) feature, which helps to mark parts of the main memory as non-executable. As a result, malicious code that has been written to those memory areas due to provoked buffer overflows cannot be executed any longer. Users will be able to take advantage of the feature once Microsoft releases the Service Pack 2 for WindowsXP. "

I have seen reference in SP2 about NX and buffer overflow but that is all that I have heard about it.

Alister

[bliSSter]

palladium is uber-weak...i read that MS has spent the last couple of days trying to kill rumors like this one....apparently according to the MS product manager for NGSCB it's still alive and strong.....no doubt....even if they were scaling it back - couldn't let the RIAA or the MPAA know that they've essentially yanked it for something different....what would it be like to actually be an ethical company in redmond?....

coincidentally - i can see some legit uses for NGSCB, but restricted to corp or gov't customers.....forcing big brother style lockdown on consumers is only going to fan the linux flames....course - the second that red hat or suse can run battlefield and support my joystick, i'm kicking windows off my freaking system...i don't care if a f*cking monkey is sending instructions between my devices on my system....if i can game with it, then i'd be happier without MS anywehre near my computers....

and btw - could someone notify mr. gates that this is in fact still MY F*CKING COMPUTER!!!....i don't think that he got that memo....

- bliSS

[Apoptosis]

and btw - could someone notify mr. gates that this is in fact still MY F*CKING COMPUTER!!!....i don't think that he got that memo....

[Immortal]

I dont get it why eveyrhting has to relate to Mr Gates, its not his fault! :p

U shouldnt worry anyway, any protection can be cracked, ive been in the CD-duplication businesss 4 years now, every new protection that comes out, it gets beaten in a few weeks, thats how security progresses....

[Apoptosis]

that is very true. there is no secure method as long as Jon Johansen is still around.

For those of you that don't know he was the teen that created DeCSS and just this week he released FairPlay v2

[Immortal]

Jon Johansen, LIVING LEGEND!

[bliSSter]

oh i agree.....macromedia rolled out product activation that was easier to crack than to register legit copies...i know - i've done both...at the same time, who knows what cracking would be required when the security is built into the bios....we're not talking about script kiddies who can see what win processes are running so they can build work arounds....we'd be talking about instructions being hard-wired direct from the mobo chipset....then again, they would be making calls into windows...

what i lay squarely at the feet of gates is that he bears the title of chief software architect....the company still follows his vision in large order....problem i have with NGSCB is that MS can't differentiate between corp/govt clients and consumers....tell me how NGSCB will help my grandparents stay more virus free.....when they willing click through every email they get....MS is HUGE into DRM for the sake of hollywood and the RIAA (two orgs that aren't really on my top-10 most philantropic list)....why the hell would they need access to the type of stuffs that NGSCB provides for consumers....protecting data for corps...okay - i can see that....but why does ma and pa kettle need this?...

answer: they don't....

but the MPAA and RIAA want to make sure that ma and pa kettle can't trade songs or video....i'm don't support illegally downloading an entire music collection...at the same time, i don't think the RIAA should be suing 8 year olds and senior citizens either....NGSCB gives remote access to lock down your computer.....when the f*ck did that become a good idea i ask?...

like i said, this is still my computer - and i didn't elect MS to be the law-enforcement branch of cyberspace....

- bliSS

[Apoptosis]

Longhorn security gets its teeth kicked out
Microsoft pulls yet another feature from Longhorn

Microsoft has further watered down the Next Generation Secure Computing Base (NGSCB) technology that will ship with its forthcoming Longhorn operating system.

"With the Longhorn launch we are delivering the first part of NGSCB: Secure Startup," Jim Allchin, Microsoft's group vice president for platforms, told vnunet.com at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) in Seattle. "Not all of the compartmentisation technology will be available. The main thing is Secure Startup."

Secure Startup protects users against offline attacks, blocking access to the computer if the content of the hard drive is compromised. This prevents a laptop thief from booting up the system from a floppy disk to circumvent security features or swapping out the hard drive.

Source: Vnunet.com