Secure key handling using the TPM [LWN.net]

Secure key handling using the TPM

Posted Oct 18, 2018 15:47 UTC (Thu) by dps (guest, #5725)
Parent article: Secure key handling using the TPM

I might be badly informed, or one a weird band that buy memory, cpus, motherboards, etc separately (and don't buy windows). At least 98% of the moderateoy cheap brand new motherboards I have condisdered don't have a tpm.

A lot of these mothebostds offer at most minimal uefi support. I find it hard to believe that just people like me are sufficient to make these tpm free motherboards economic.

I think that despite the propaganda most people don't have a tpm. Even microsoft probably can't afford not to support those that can't use uefi.

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Secure key handling using the TPM

Posted Oct 18, 2018 18:17 UTC (Thu) by pizza (subscriber, #46) [Link] (5 responses)

In order to ship something with Windows 10 (Client), Microsoft mandates use of UEFI, secure boot, and a TPM.

Secure key handling using the TPM

Posted Oct 18, 2018 18:26 UTC (Thu) by mjg59 (subscriber, #23239) [Link] (2 responses)

…although I believe the TPM can be in the form of software running on the ME or SPU.

Secure key handling using the TPM

Posted Oct 18, 2018 19:49 UTC (Thu) by zlynx (guest, #2285) [Link]

All of the AMD Ryzen CPUs offer what they call a fTPM. f for Fake, maybe? (No, really it is Firmware).

It's implemented on the CPU via their PSP (Platform Security Processor). Essentially the same thing as Intel's ME.

Secure key handling using the TPM

Posted Oct 19, 2018 9:46 UTC (Fri) by nix (subscriber, #2304) [Link]

So long as they're not running it in SGX enclaves. L1tf showed us how much *that* security was worth.

Secure key handling using the TPM

Posted Oct 20, 2018 23:48 UTC (Sat) by dps (guest, #5725) [Link] (1 responses)

I have personally run Windows 10 on a laptop without uefi firmware and secure boot. It did have a tpm but I did briefly run Windows 10 with it disabled to upgrade infeon's insecure firmware. Modulo bitlocker there where no problems.

I doubt bitlocker is useful enough justify spenfing an extra £300+ more for most people.

Secure key handling using the TPM

Posted Oct 21, 2018 0:10 UTC (Sun) by pizza (subscriber, #46) [Link]

That laptop was not sold with Windows 10.

Anything sold as new today is unlikely to have been tested with anything other than Windows 10, and even then only in the configuration that MS requires (ie UEFI with secure boot).