Microsoft develops ‘Pluton’ Security Processor for its Windows PCs


By MYBRANDBOOK


Microsoft develops ‘Pluton’ Security Processor for its Windows PCs

Microsoft has announced that it’s making a new ‘Pluton’ security processor for Windows PCs to improve security and threat protection for users. The company is developing the new processor in partnership with AMDIntel, and Qualcomm.

 

It is aimed to bring the same chip-to-cloud security to PCs that Microsoft initially offered on Xbox and Azure Sphere. Microsoft Pluton is also designed to replace the existing Trusted Platform Module (TPM) that is a hardware component used on PCs to store cryptographic keys and measures to secure the system.

 

TPMs have helped Windows PC users get a secured computing experience. However, with attackers building sophisticated techniques that target the communication channel between CPUs and TPMs to steal user data and sensitive information through a physical attack, Microsoft now looks at building Pluton as an ultimate solution.

 

In a blog post, David Weston, Director of Enterprise and OS Security at Microsoft, said, “Windows devices with Pluton will use the Pluton security processor to protect credentials, user identities, encryption keys, and personal data. None of this information can be removed from Pluton even if an attacker has installed malware or has complete physical possession of the PC”.

 

The Pluton processor is claimed to have the ability to isolate sensitive data such as encryption keys from the rest of the system. This would help block emerging attack techniques including speculative execution from accessing key material. There is also a Secure Hardware Cryptography Key (SHACK) technology that would help ensure that keys are not exposed outside of the protected hardware.

 

Microsoft also wants to address the delay in security updates with Pluton that will be integrated with the Windows Update process.

 

The Pluton processor will be integrated within future chips from AMD, Intel, and Qualcomm to offer users PCs with inbuilt security. This would reduce instances of CPU exploits like Meltdown and Spectre that impacted a large number of Windows users in the past.

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