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STMicroelectronics TPM Supported in Microsoft Windows Vista Operating System
STMicroelectronics, the first company to successfully release a TCG (Trusted Computing Group) 1.2 device, today revealed updated offerings to their family of Trusted Platform Modules (TPM 1.2) with support for the new security features in Microsoft's forthcoming Windows Vista(TM) operating system, and in fact has been used by Microsoft in development and testing the new features. Software and data security are central features of Windows Vista, which has been released in Beta form, and expected to launch early in 2007. The TPM, embedded in a computer system motherboard, enables platform validation and core root of trust, user credential management, and provides secure storage for critical data and passwords.
The ST19WP18 is based on a full-featured 8-bit microcomputer from the ST19W family of security-proven MCUs, which is dedicated to smart card and other secure applications, with an advanced 1088-bit cryptographic co-processor supporting Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) functions. This secure microcontroller is now certified to the 'Common Criteria' Evaluation Assurance Level EAL5+ (Augmented), one of the highest levels of the ISO15408 standard for this type of product.
The Trusted Computing Group (TCG) is a broad alliance of major hardware and software companies working to create more secure computing environments through the use of secure hardware building blocks and cross-platform software interfaces. The ST19WP18, which entered volume production in mid-2005, is backward compatible with the earlier TCG 1.1b specification ST has already shipped millions, deployed in desktop and laptop computers by leading computer manufacturers.
The ST19WP18 TPM has been tested successfully with the native device driver in Microsoft(R) Windows Vista, and forms a hardware basis for Vista's new BitLocker Drive Encryption(TM) security feature.
"The Trusted Platform Module performs a vital role in Microsoft Windows Vista data protection advancements, and STMicroelectronics has proven to be a world leader in the development of TPM technology," said Peter Biddle, Product Unit Manager for the System Integrity group at Microsoft. "The TPM enables a hardware root of trust mechanism for our BitLocker Drive Encryption feature in Vista, and ST's expertise in tamper resistant technology was beneficial in our development of these features. We look forward to further developments along these lines."
Trusted capabilities are being implemented in the majority of new PC platforms, based on the TCG specifications. In addition to basic validation, the TPM can be used to verify that hardware is unchanged, that the BIOS has not been compromised, and the appropriate and trusted services have been executed. "The need for trusted computing developed as personal computer systems -- especially laptop computers and other portable devices -- have become more complex and more vulnerable to physical and electronic attack," said Bill Raasch, Vice President of Market Development in ST's Computer and Peripherals Business Unit, North America Region. "And we are certainly delighted to support these first features Microsoft has chosen to deploy."
The Vista support is yet another successful development for ST in the ST19WP18 family. ST also provides a full Windows XP software stack, including the core interface, security services framework, and cryptographic support utilities for PC applications that rely on the TPM, plus the BIOS and Windows 2000 and XP drivers. During the first half of 2006, more than 4 million ST19WP18 chips, which implement the latest and most advanced TCG 1.2 specification, were shipped by OEM's in Windows XP platforms.