Unclonable Polymers and Their Cryptographic Applications
eprint.iacr.org
eprint.iacr.org
Maybe there's some fundamental reason that specific approach won't work, but when we consider the massive improvements in DNA sequencing and analytical chemistry and nanotech over the past century, seems like we should have very little confidence that proteins will remain unreadable for the indefinite future. (Whereas things like integer factoring seem a lot more robust...)
I can fully see them trying to add something like this to a DVD so you couldn’t watch it more than X times or as a built in self destruct if someone tried to do a 100% bit-rip of the disk.
If they could come up with one that reacts with air or light then “right to repair” isn’t even an option.
You just need to think bigger and there’s unlimited options to protect IP from people who would misuse it for things like that pesky freedom they go on and on about.
that would be as effective as current DRM measures then, i.e. their shit is going to end up on a russian torrent tracker within hours after someone gets a copy, just as usual
DRM for hardware products, where tech like this would make sense, can already be made virtually unbreakable with existing cryptography and on-chip logic/ROM
For example a lot newer military hardware uses software to be more effective. So if the gear has to be abandoned for some reason a secure erase sounds useful.
How much better than is than current solution of a chip on a glass substrate storing a crypto key with a heating elements or explosive to shatter it dunno. Although glass being brittle makes making sure it does not break accidentally has design challenges.
Polymers tend to be more durable.
There were a few different attempts at something along these lines in the early 2000s. They weren't that popular.