Trusted Computing Platforms: TCPA Technology in Context

Special Properties of Trusted Platforms

Before considering the major features of TPs in more detail in the following sections, we briefly summarize how TPs protect and use secrets (i.e., keys that encrypt files and messages, keys that sign data, and authorization data).

As a first approximation, the special hardware inside a TP (the TPM) may be viewed as an enhanced smart card. Secrets can be created either outside or inside the TPM. The normal software environment in a TP (outside the TPM) can use the secrets for any purpose, including confidentiality of files, signing of data, and authentication of the platform to third parties. Other secrets can be created either outside or inside the TPM, and used for signing by the TPM, without leaving the ...