A briefcase full of microchips can be worth more than one packed with gold,
and is much easier to carry. Lucent Technologies of New Jersey believes it can
stop the chip smugglers and prevent chips from being filched (EP 798 620). Every
high-value chip will have a small nonvolatile flash memory built in. Before the
chip leaves the factory, this memory will be programmed with a password. If the
chips are stolen, the thief will not have the password, which will only be
issued to legitimate owners.
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