Apple reportedly using Trusted Platform Module

Apple reportedly using Trusted Platform Module on Developer preview models

Apple Computers has reportedly used chips using TPM to prevent computer users from installing install the OS X operating system on non-Mac hardware. Reports say that the Developer preview models of Apple’s Intel powered models come with this technology called Trusted Platform Module powered chips. This technology has been criticized by the advocates of privacy groups and is not going to make the users happy.

The machines were the recently shipped Developer Transition Kits which are supposed to help developers test and prepare their software to the switch to the new Intel powered Apple computers next year. The kit contains a Mac computer with Intel processor and a special version of Apple OS capable of running on an Intel. Recent versions are said to have this controversial chip.

The technology is an open industry standard governed by the Trusted Computing Group, a group which helps developing security standards. Apple is said to be aiming to use this technology to prevent their copies of Mac OS 10 to be installed on the Intel platform, which could result in huge losses for Apple on the hardware front.

Each TPM chip contains an encrypted serial number that allows the operating system to verify if it is running on Apple made hardware. However, like most other encryption technologies, it might not be very complicated for hackers to befool this trick as well.