Helping devices prove their identity without an extra security chip
Variscite and SecEdge have announced software that protects the secrets a device uses to prove its identity. The companies say compatible devices can gain this function without an additional security chip. An irrigation controller identifying itself to its management service is one possible use, not a test reported here.
What was announced?
The 20 October announcement covers SEC-TPM across Variscite’s i.MX-based computing modules: small computers built into other equipment to handle control and communication. It does not cover every electronic device.
What is being protected?
A cryptographic key is a secret value used for tasks such as proving identity. SEC-TPM keeps keys inside a protected area of the existing computing component. TPM names a standard set of security functions; this implementation provides them partly through software.
What does installation require?
The manufacturer’s guide requires a licence for each device and an internet connection during activation. The function becomes available after Linux, the software managing the device, has started. This announcement is not an independent security test or a promise that a device cannot be compromised.