Trusted Computing: Difference between revisions

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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"^[1]^[2]

How it works

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.

Memory curtaining or Protected execution is the isolation of certain sensitive parts of memory (for example decryption keys) from the rest of the system.

Endorsement keys are a pair of public and private keys that are 2048-bit 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.

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 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.

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 and/or deleted without the user's consent nor knowledge. System settings can be edited without the user's consent nor knowledge.

Examples

Some notable examples include:

Palladium

Trusted Computing Module TPM and TPM 2.0

Almost every smartphone and tablet both Android

Amazon Kindle and Kindle Fire

Apple iPod

Microsoft Zune

Sony PlayStation line of consoles

Microsoft Xbox line of consoles

Intel Management Engine

AMD Platform Security Processor

Secureboot

Pluton

Walled gardens

Windows 10

Windows 11

MacOS

Tesla Motors Automobiles

John Deere Tractors

References

https://www.fsf.org/campaigns/drm.html

https://www.fsf.org/news/treacherous.html

https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/can-you-trust.html

https://www.slashgear.com/windows-11-tpm-2-0-could-affect-other-software-as-well-05689649/

https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/drm-carroll

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusted_Computing

https://www.defectivebydesign.org/what_is_drm

↑ "Can You Trust Your Computer?". Archived from the original on 2025-07-29.
↑ "Trust me, i'm a computer".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

https://www.fsf.org/news/treacherous.html

https://www.fsf.org/campaigns/campaigns/secure-boot-vs-restricted-boo

https://www.fsf.org/campaigns/campaigns/secure-boot-vs-restricted-boot

https://www.fsf.org/blogs/sysadmin/the-management-engine-an-attack-on-computer-users-freedom

https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/android-and-users-freedom.html

https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/loyal-computers.html

https://www.gnu.org/proprietary/proprietary.html

https://www.fsf.org/campaigns/fight-to-repair

https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/tivoization.html

https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/privacynotincluded/

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/01/ftc-states-sue-deere-company-protect-farmers-unfair-corporate-tactics-high-repair-costs

https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/privacynotincluded/articles/its-official-cars-are-the-worst-product-category-we-have-ever-reviewed-for-privacy/

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Trusted_Platform_Module

https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Trusted_Platform_Module

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/04/tesla-sued-after-report-that-workers-shared-invasive-images-from-car-cameras/

https://replicant.us/

http://www.trustedcomputinggroup.org/

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000008927/software/chipset-software.html

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[1] "Can You Trust Your Computer?". Archived from the original on 2025-07-29.

[2] "Trust me, i'm a computer".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{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==
-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 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.
+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 and/or deleted without the user's consent nor knowledge. System settings can be edited without the user's consent nor knowledge.
 ==Examples==
 Some notable examples include:
@@ Line 64: / Line 78: @@
 https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/drm-carroll
-<nowiki>;</nowiki>
 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusted_Computing