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http://www.theregister.co.uk/991128-000002.html

Intel faces possible Euro block on Pentium IIIs

A report from the STOA Committee of the European Union has suggested
that the economic bloc look long and hard at the implications of
Intel's personal serial number (PSN) embedded in the Pentium III
microprocessor.

(We know it's really dubbed the processor serial number, but our
substitution of personal seems oh so apposite.)

The STOA (scientific and technological options assessment) committe is
presenting its findings to the European Parliament, in connection with
the development of surveillance technology and the risk of abuse of
economic information.

According to a report presented by Franck Leprevost to the committee,
and called Encryption and Cryptosystems in Electronic Surveillance,
there is a prima facie case that the PSN breaches European protocols
on security.

The report recommends close examination of the role of the role of
both the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National
Security Agency (NSA), in relation to the Pentium III's embedded
security number.

In part of the report, Leprevost states: "The PSN is very different
from the IP (Internet Protocol) address, even though a user?s IP
address can be revealed to any webpage he or she chooses to visit.

"IP addresses are not as permanent as PSNs: many users have no fixed
IP address that can be used to track their movements, as they may use
masks via the proxy servers of Internet service providers. ISPs
normally assign a different IP number per session and per user.

"Users can also change ISP, use a service which guarantees their
anonymity, etc. As it stands, the PSN can therefore be used for
electronic surveillance purposes."

The news report, in German, may be found here, while the full report
to the committee can be downloaded from this page. ®