Intel to embed security into chips

After saying for a while that it had not bought McAfee to embed security features into its chips, Intel is now hinting that it will do just that.

For a while many wondered what Intel was smoking when it bought security outfit McAfee.

The logical reason was that it wanted embedded security at the chip level. McAfee and Intel denied this and said the purchase was for other reasons.

One of the best reasons was Intel's cloud plans which would require some form of security and anti-virus protection.  Security on a chip, nah guv. Not us.

Intel South Asia's R Ravichandran, director of sales, has told the press that the outfit is preparing a roadmap to integrate security features into the chip.

Intel already has anti-theft feature available through some of its original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) which will disable the laptop the first time it is connected to the internet after reporting the theft, he said.

The idea is that it will stop people being able to steal a computer and use the data.

This is a bit of a distance from virus checking at a chip level, but it does indicate that it might be part of Intel's thinking after all.

Read more: http://www.techeye.net/chips/intel-to-embed-security-into-chips#ixzz1NUBzu7U0