Hardware restrictions (sometimes called Hardware DRM)[1] refers to restrictions in any device that places technical restrictions on what content can run/play on said device or what users can do with certain content. Hardware restrictions can be used with software DRM and digital signatures. Hardware restrictions are common on video game consoles (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Wii, and many others) and other devices like Macintosh computers,[2] the iPhone,[3] the iPad, the iPod, and the Amazon Kindle.
High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection
Main article: High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection
High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) is a form of digital copy protection developed to prevent copying of digital audio and video content as it travels across connections (e.g. from a Blu-ray player to a TV)
SIM lock
The SIM lock in mobile phones is a form of hardware restriction.
Trusted Computing
Trusted Computing, while described as a security measure, has the potential of denying users access to some of their data.
Upgradeable Intel processors
Some Intel processors are sold with some features "locked", that can later be unlocked after payment.[4][5]
Intel Insider
Intel insider, a technology that provides a "protected path" for digital content,[6] can be considered a form of DRM.[7][8][9]
Verified/trusted/secure boot
Some devices implement a feature called "verified boot", "trusted boot" or "secure boot", which will only allow signed software to run on the device, usually from the device manufacturer. This is considered a restriction if the users do not have the ability to disable it.
Android devices
Some Android devices (with the notable exception of "official line", the Nexus series) come with the bootloader locked.
Apple devices
Apple's iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Apple TV) require signatures for firmware installation, intended to verify that only the latest official firmware can be installed on those devices. Official firmware allows third-party software to be installed only from the App Store.
TiVo
Main article:
TivoizationIf a device only runs software approved by the hardware vendor, and a certain version of a free software program is allowed to run on the device, the user cannot exercise the rights he theoretically has, because he cannot install modified versions.
OLPC
Another case of trusted boot is the One Laptop per Child XO laptop which will only boot from software signed by a private cryptographic key known only to the OLPC non-profit organisation and the respective deployment authorities such as Education Ministries. Laptops distributed directly by the OLPC organisation provide a way to disable the restrictions, by requesting a "developer key" unique to that laptop, over the Internet, waiting 24 hours to receive it, installing it, and running the firmware command "disable-security". However some deployments such as Uruguay[10] deny requests for such keys. The stated goal is to deter mass theft of laptops from children or via distribution channels, by making the laptops refuse to boot, making it hard to reprogram them so they will boot and delaying the issuance of developer keys to allow time to check whether a key-requesting laptop had been stolen.
Windows 8
Certified Windows 8 hardware will require secure boot. Soon after the feature was announced, September 2011, it caused widespread fear it would lock-out alternative operating systems.[11][12][13][14] In January 2012, Microsoft confirmed it would require hardware manufacturers to enable secure boot on Windows 8 devices, and that x86/64 devices must provide the option to turn it off while ARM-based devices must not provide the option to turn it off.[15] According to Glyn Moody, at ComputerWorld, this "approach seems to be making it hard if not impossible to install GNU/Linux on hardware systems certified for Windows 8".[15]
See also
References
External links
