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President and CEO of security giant AVG JR Smith has aired doubts as to Intel’s ability to bring out an effective hardware security product, claiming there’s no way a chip-based defence could ever be ‘dynamic or quick moving enough’ to combat continually evolving and increasingly tenacious online threats.
At the time of the recent purchase of security specialist McAfee, and the simultaneous announcement of its intention to develop a hardware security product, chip giant Intel said the industry’s current approach to security “does not fully address the billions of new Internet-ready devices connecting… as well as the accompanying surge in cyber threats.”
Speaking to PCR, Smith however claimed that Intel will have a tough job on its hands: “It’s an interesting dilemma. Putting security directly on the chip is hardware. How do you dynamically update hardware every 20 minutes? I’m struggling to see how even the smartest engineers in the world are going to get a piece of plastic to do that. Intel may find applications in mobile and the enterprise space with their new acquisition, but I do question whether or not they can put dynamic security like that on the chip.
“And will Microsoft, who also provides security, allow Intel access to the operating system through the chip? There are a lot of unknowns there.”
While agreeing with Intel’s sentiments that the security landscape is changing, Smith claims it is this exactly this fast-paced evolution that will provide the biggest barrier to the chip-firm as it looks to roll out the first fruits of the McAfee purchase next year.
