Intel recently announced plans of using security and computing performance to sell a new generation of micro-processor chips. The new versions of the Core line of chips from the company are aimed at business PCs, and they have a new technology built into them dubbed Authenticate, says a report from The Wall Street Journal.
Chips address safety concerns
Intel said there are companies that are not satisfied with a single safeguard, such as a password, and they wish to have up to four safeguards in place before users can log into their computer. Giving an example, the chip maker said there could be a company that requires any combination of a password, a fingerprint scan or authorized employee smartphone present nearby that a PC could easily sense with Bluetooth technology.
Further, the chip maker said users might be required by the system to enter a set of numbers on a PC touch screen to keep potential threats, like malicious software that monitors typing on the keyboards, away.
Intel said a key feature of the Authenticate technology is that it does not make use of the computer’s disk drive or another traditional storage device for storing identifying elements and company security policies. This makes them out of reach of a variety of attacks on a PC’s operating system or other software. These factors are stored in a special protected zone on the micro-processor.
New Intel chips help users too
Intel’s move is the latest effort to address the problem of computer attacks, which are frequently linked to organized crime or intelligence agencies. Intel’s chips provide computing power to more than 90% of all PCs, and this dominant position puts the chip maker in an influential position to help popularize solutions.
Intel noted that not only the enterprise security worries are growing, but users also dislike remembering and managing passwords. When announcing the new chips, Tom Garrison, an Intel VP, said the new chips are a huge win from the “perspective” of the users also.
The chip maker said it is allowing companies to test Authenticate and provide feedback on it before it makes an official announcement regarding general availability. This new technology from the chip maker works with Windows 10, Windows 8 and Windows 7.
