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COMPUTING

From...
PC World

Intel mobile chips dispense ID numbers

intel

March 12, 1999
Web posted at: 12:02 p.m. EST (1702 GMT)

by Juan Carlos Pérez

(IDG) -- Some mobile chips shipped by Intel in January have a bug that lets servers obtain an identification number from them, a company spokesperson said.

The number that the chips provide to the servers, however, is not a serial number like the one that Intel is burning into its new Pentium III processors. Intel doesn't even know if the number that the mobile chips issue is unique, said Howard High, an Intel spokesperson.

"The chip returns a value. But the exact nature of the value is not one we can guarantee as unique," High said.

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This "value" is generated by some circuitry that is a prototype to the one present in the Pentium III chips, he said. This prototype circuitry should have been removed from these mobile chips before shipping, High added.

The flaw is present in some of the mobile Pentium II processors with Level 2 cache and some of the mobile Celeron processors that Intel began shipping January 25. Intel estimates that about half of the Pentium II chips and half of the Celeron chips that began shipping that day have this flaw, High said.

The flawed chips are those that come in the "mobile module package," which is one of three types of packaging Intel offers, a distinction not all users may be aware of, High said. Users should contact the manufacturer of their notebook PCs to find out if their machines have one of the affected chips, he added.

Patch sent to vendors

Intel recognizes this as a bug and on Wednesday began shipping a patch to PC manufacturers to fix the flaw at the BIOS level by rewriting part of the code, he said. PC manufacturers can distribute the patch by physically sending it to users, by reprogramming the BIOS code in the users' machines via a phone line, or by placing the patch on their Web sites for downloading, High said.

Intel is also working with Microsoft to include with the next Windows update a patch to fix the flaw at the operating system level, he said. Microsoft releases these updates about every four weeks, High said.

PIII controversy continues

Intel has been involved in a loud controversy since it announced several weeks ago that its new Pentium III processors would have a unique serial number, which Intel said will help identify parties in a transaction and make electronic commerce more secure. Groups that advocate consumer privacy have said that the feature could compromise the privacy of users.

To address the issue, Intel offers a software patch that can be downloaded from the Internet and used to disable the security number. The company also provides a mechanism in the BIOS that can be used to disable the ID, although this requires a bit more technical expertise to use, and Intel said it can't force PC makers to install it.


MESSAGE BOARD:
Privacy advocates concerned about Pentium III

RELATED STORIES:
FTC brings more accusations against Intel
March 3, 1999
Intel claims FTC found no evidence of harm
March 2, 1999
IBM to disable serial number in Pentium III
March 1, 1999
There's life after Merced for 32-bit chips
March 1, 1999

RELATED IDG.net STORIES:
Should you worry about Big Brother inside?
(PC World Online)
Intel's new chip ID utility reportedly easy to hack
(InfoWorld)
Washington group to file FTC complaint on Pentium III
(InfoWorld)
Concerns, ink mount in Intel privacy battle
(The Industry Standard)
An alternative to Intel's Pentium-ID method
(PC World Online)
Intel backs off, disables Pentium ID feature
(PC World Online)
Boycott widened over new Intel chip ID plan
(Windows TechEdge)
Intel to add personal ID numbers to chips
(Network World Fusion)

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