Seagate have today released their first DRM-infected hard disk. It’s a feature they’re calling “Drive Trust”
Drive Trust has been developed as a complementary platform for the security specifications of the Trusted Computing Group (TCG) and Seagate expects the platform result into a formal TCG storage specification that is scheduled for public release in early 2007. The company describes the approach as a “fully automated hardware-based security with a programming foundation,” that enables content owner’s software developers to take advantage of the drive’s data security features on their own terms.
—THG
I know they’re aiming this for security but as soon as you can lock what has access to a HD you can start pushing fully locked down systems where every software vendor has to go through a regulating body. That would mean you have to get licensed to write your own things and I’m betting now that it won’t be free to get licensed.
I hope this doesn’t start popping up as a required feature. I hate DRM and so should you.