This would be implemented by smart terminals. For example, if i was writing an email, that process would reside in my terminal so that the unencrypted data never even enters the main system (especially good idea when the system is shared with other users).

Or, if im reading encrypted data, the terminal does the actually decrypting, so the computer itself never sees the plain data.

this could even be implemented on a special handheld.
-- ironfroggy, Mar 09 2003

Also baked with SD, Windows Media Player, and various other methods for downloading music onto handheld devices.
-- pottedstu, Mar 09 2003


It’s called compartmentalization.
-- Shz, Mar 10 2003


This is a great idea. Long ago I decided that I do not like the Visa card system of presenting a card and using the merchant's machine to process the transaction, including entering a PIN if required. Carrying my own entry and compartmentalized processing device would be a lot safer and not prone to tampering by less than honest merchants. Unfortunately, holes in the program would eventually be found that allowed 'worms' to extract precious data, but at least the whole level of security would be a lot higher.
-- tesumner, Aug 30 2003



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