Despite Intel's claims to the contrary, the controversial serial number of the new Pentium III processors can be read without a user's explicit permission or knowledge.

Intel had relented to pressure groups concerned about the embedded ID code as a breach of personal privacy, and offered a software utility to turn off the security feature.

However, Andreas Stiller, a microprocessor expert for c't Magazine, has figured out a software procedure to remotely switch on the command for reading out the serial number, overriding user-defined settings.

The story is posted online at the c't web site .