Consumer Rights Wiki

Trusted Computing: Difference between revisions

← Older edit
VisualWikitext
added tonewarning - this currently reads quite swivel-eyed, and while references are present, they are not linked in with article text in any way
 
(3 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{ToneWarning}}
{{ToneWarning}}


Trusted Computing, sometimes called "Treacherous Computing" is the name of the initiative of a joint effort of multiple companies to add hardware level restrictions and restrict user ownership and freedom on multiple various types of computers and devices, including, but not limited to: Computers, desktops and notebooks, single board computers, PDAs, smartphones, tablets, media players, game consoles, digital video recorders, home theater systems, smart televisions, streaming boxes, pretty much anything with a printed circuit board and a digital purpose.
Trusted Computing is a technology developed by the Trusted Computing Group. It aims to restrict the workings of a computer so that it may only behave in expected ways.
 
It is a controversial technology because it can be used to restrict the freedom of the owner of the computer. For this reason it has been dubbed by free software activist Richard Stallman "Treacherous Computing"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Can You Trust Your Computer? |url=https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/can-you-trust.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250729024422/https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/can-you-trust.html |archive-date=2025-07-29}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Trust me, i'm a computer |url=https://www.scl.org/3835-trust-me-i-m-a-computer/ |url-status=live}}</ref>


==How it works==
==How it works==
Trusted Computing usually consists of both hardware and software restrictions, From a locked down restricted operating system to a locked down restricted bios and or firmware to hardware level backdoors in the CPU, SOC, motherboard, to a physical chip known as a "Trusted Platform Module",  "TPM" for short. A TPM enabled machine will RESTRICT and will NOT allow certain user actions.
The workings of Trusted Computing are based on six key principles, these being : 
 
#Sealed storage
#Memory curtaining / protected execution
#Secure input and output
#Endorsement key
#Remote attestation
#Trusted Third Party (TTP)
 
Sealed storage consists in the protection of information trough binding it to the configuration of the platform being used. Trough this one may for example lock certain files from being opened if they lack the needed license.  


==Why it is a problem==
Memory curtaining or Protected execution is the isolation of certain sensitive parts of memory (for example decryption keys) from the rest of the system.
One problem is user ownership and freedom. Depending on the device, various user actions may be restricted and or completely prohibited. Installing and using third party and or alternative software from operating systems to applications may be restricted and or completely impossible! Modifying certain system settings may be restricted and or completely impossible! Also user loss if ownership over data including files and documents is an issue!


Endorsement keys are a pair of public and private keys that are 2048-bit [[wikipedia:RSA_cryptosystem|RSA]] keys generated randomly at the factory on the chip. They cannot be changed and are required to operate secure transactions. This makes it impossible for emulators of TC to be able to complete safe transactions.


Another problem is privacy and security.  Because of hardware and software level backdoor, an affected system is vulnerable to remote tampering, sabotage and attack, both when the machine is on and off!  Data including files and documents can be edited, encrypted, deleted without the user's consent nor knowledge! System settings can be edited without the user's consent nor knowledge!
Remote attestation allows changes to the user's computer to be detected by authorized parties.


==Why it's considered to be a problem==
One problem highlighted by Stallman and others is user ownership and freedom. Depending on the device, various user actions may be restricted and or completely prohibited. Installing and using third party and or alternative software from operating systems to applications may be restricted and or completely impossible. Modifying certain system settings may be restricted and or completely impossible.


Other highlighted problems relate to privacy and security.  Because of hardware and software level backdoor, an affected system could be vulnerable to remote tampering, sabotage and attack, both when the machine is on and off. Data including files and documents can be edited, encrypted and/or deleted without the user's consent nor knowledge. System settings can be edited without the user's consent nor knowledge.
==Examples==
==Examples==
Some notable examples include:
Some notable examples include:


Palladium
*Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows RT (They use a Trusted Platform Module to facilitate BitLocker Drive Encryption) <ref>{{Cite journal |title=A Disk Encryption Algorithm for Windows Vista |url=http://download.microsoft.com/download/0/2/3/0238acaf-d3bf-4a6d-b3d6-0a0be4bbb36e/BitLockerCipher200608.pdf |journal=[[Microsoft Corp.]]}}</ref>
 
*[[Signal data collection|Signal]] messenger<ref>{{Cite web |title=Scaling secure enclave environments with Signal and Azure confidential computing |url=https://customers.microsoft.com/en-us/story/1374464612401582154-signal-nonprofit-azure-security |url-status=live}}</ref>
Trusted Computing Module TPM and TPM 2.0
*and the e-prescription service E-Rezept<ref>{{Cite web |title=Confidential Computing soll Patientendaten schützen |url=https://www.healthcare-computing.de/confidential-computing-soll-patientendaten-schuetzen-a-996680/}}</ref>
 
Almost every smartphone and tablet both Android
 
Amazon Kindle and Kindle Fire
 
Apple iPod
 
Microsoft Zune
 
Sony PlayStation line of consoles
 
Microsoft Xbox line if consoles
 
Intel Management Engine
 
AMD Platform Security Processor
 
Secureboot
 
Pluton
 
Walled gardens
 
Windows 10
 
Windows 11
 
MacOS
 


Tesla Motors Automobiles
John Deere Tractors
==References==
==References==
https://www.fsf.org/campaigns/drm.html
https://www.fsf.org/news/treacherous.html
https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/can-you-trust.html




Line 64: Line 40:


https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/drm-carroll
https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/drm-carroll
<nowiki>;</nowiki>


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusted_Computing
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusted_Computing
Retrieved from "https://consumerrights.wiki/Trusted_Computing"