Security Challenges in OLPC Initiative for $100 Laptops

Cheap computers for the world's poor could mean big security headaches. The $100 One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project is inviting hackers to break test out and even break the security on the upcoming computers. Speaking at the Toorcon computer security convention, OLPC representative Ivan Kristic said the OLPC will create the largest monoculture in history and the it will present some "very scary" security problems.

The low-pricedLinux-based computers will be sold to third-world countries and will have a 500 MHz AMD processor along with 128 MB of system memory and 512 MB of Flash storage memory. Standardized hardware along with a standard software image is one reason why the machines will be so cheap, but Kristic explains that this standardization will cause security issues.