Symantec, Intel Working on Secure Chips

Security firm Symantec has joined up with chip giant Intel to research and develop security solutions built directly into the hardware used by computers. Symantec software would interact directly with the Intel chips at the hardware level, rather than relying on an operating system like Windows.

Integrating security into hardware technology is nothing new, but virtualization is opening the door to more capabilities. The effort, known as "Project Hood" according to Reuters, involves running the software "underneath and alongside" the operating system. The companies are calling the result an "appliance" that can be added to Intel's processor chipsets.