Introduction

Computer security is undeniably important, and as new vulnerabilities are discovered and

exploited, the perceived need for new security solutions grows. "Trusted computing"

initiatives propose to solve some of today s security problems through hardware changes

to the personal computer. Changing hardware design isn t inherently suspicious, but the

leading trusted computing proposals have a high cost: they provide security to users

while giving third parties the power to enforce policies on users computers against the

users wishes -- they let others pressure you to hand some control over your PC to

someone else. This is a "feature" ready-made for abuse by software authors who want to

anticompetitively choke off rival software.

It needn t be this way: a straightforward change to the plans of trusted computing vendors

could leave the security benefits intact while ensuring that a PC owner s-IntroductionComputer security is undeniably important, and as new vulnerabilities are discovered andexploited, the perceived need for new security solutions grows.　Trusted computing　initiatives propose to solve some of today s security problems through hardware changesto the personal computer. Changing hardware design isn t inherently suspicious, but theleading trusted computing proposals have a high cost: they provide security to userswhile giving third parties the power to enforce policies on users computers against theusers wishes- they let others pressure you to hand some control over your PC tosomeone else. This is a　feature　ready-made for abuse by software authors who want toanticompetitively choke off rival software.It needn t be this way: a straightforward change to the plans of trusted computing vendorscould leave the security benefits intact while ensuring that a PC owner s