New Intel Core VPro Processors Can Be Remotely Disabled Over 3G Networks, Even When an OS Is Not Running
December 15th, 2010Via: PC World:
Intel on Wednesday said it would release in the first quarter next year Core VPro processors for business desktops and laptops that incorporate a host of new security and management features.
The new chips will come in dual-core and quad-core variants, and will be based on the company’s upcoming Sandy Bridge architecture, which integrates a graphics processing unit inside the CPU, company executives said.
Laptops and desktops with the vPro platform combine hardware and software technology to manage and secure PCs through wired or wireless networks. The new platform provides a better visual experience and enhanced security and remote support capabilities for easier maintenance and support of a fleet of PCs, said Rick Echevarria, vice president of the Intel Architecture Group.
The new processors also will improve PC performance significantly, Echevarria said, though he declined to provide benchmark details.
Another new feature is host-based activation, which enables PCs to be configured remotely in a matter of minutes, Echevarria said. The new VPro platform builds on improvements from its predecessors and will reduce the support time of PCs, he said. For example, an IT administrator would be able to install Windows 7 on 10,000 laptops overnight, Echevarria said.
The platform introduces new features such as Anti-Theft 3.0 (AT 3.0), which combines hardware and software to remotely disable systems when they are lost or stolen. The new hardware allows help desks to remotely shut down laptops over 3G networks, even when an OS is not running. Earlier Anti-Theft versions were able to communicate with remote PCs over wired and Wi-Fi networks. The new features can prevent a remote PC from booting even if the hard drive is replaced.
Hm, with a decent OS or with a slipstreamed one, an administrator could install one zillion systems witihn a night.
I like it when journalists brabble pseudo explanations for things that nobody wants nor uses, except the not-so-good-guys. The horror: A CPU that hosts an OS itself. I really hope there is no #div-bug built in when its used in power plants, or we got stuxnet all over the industry.