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Computer Virus Protection Skin

Make your computer more like a biological creation... give it skin.
 
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Here, a new operating system would be constructed to essentially give a PC a kind of "skin"... a protector from the outside world.

One thought is just use a physical key switch for loading new software (of any kind) and provide a secure and digitally signed method of ensuring its safety.

This would allow the operating system to be segregated from the rest of the system, eliminating certain types of worms and viruses.

zigness, Feb 21 2004

[link]






       Saw the Dongles link... That won't do what I'm after. The operating system has to be loaded to use a USB dongle like this. I'm talking about a key that can TRULY separate the stored operating system from the currently loaded one. The dongle wouldn't be able to do that.
zigness, Feb 21 2004
  

       I don't think that people running around with floppy disks or CD's are what is creating the massive virus problems these days.   

       Putting a hardware lock on the PC to prevent the execution of all unsigned code wouldn't prevent the social engineering that creates today's virus problems.   

       Requiring signed code would create an enviroment where the programmer is beholden to the operating system manufacturer. This is happening now with Microsoft and hardware signing of drivers for Windows 2000 and XP.
Cedar Park, Feb 22 2004
  
      
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