Microsoft's Tpm Explanation TPM True or False You decide

[TheMessage 0]

I've been looking into this TPM or Trusted Computing since it was mention around 2002 there seems to be a lot of confusion about this new technology.This new technology seems to be of great interest in the security end of protecting our integrity and personal data on our computers. The problem I seem to have with this technology is this, what does Trusted Computing really mean? Can we trust the hardware and software manufactures to protect us in the best interest of the people or is this just some kind of STEALTH PROJECT that will be revealed to us later when it?s to late to say ?we don?t want this new technology!? The way I see it is, if you don?t have one of these TPMs installed on your Motherboard then you won?t be able to connect to a computer or server that does also, if you want to be able to use any software other then what is considered Trusted then you might not be able to unless you disable TPM or the softwares has a signed certificate from Microsoft.This new technology is very confusing because of the type of control that this encryption has on our data. Let me explain, Let s say you have vista installed on your computer and you have TPM activated from what I understand with TPM activated vista will now encrypt your entire hard drive not just certain files. Also other Operating Systems and other software might not be able to use this data without the proper keys to decrypt the data. To me this sounds like a strange type of control over our computers. In my opinion I think there is much more to this Trusted Computing then they are telling us or want us to know.This scenario covers two common tasks that administrators would perform during a re-configuration of a TPM computer. These tasks are turning off the TPM and clearing the TPM.Some administrators may decide that not every TPM computer in their network needs have the additional protection a TPM provides. In this situation, it is best to ensure that the TPMs in those computers are turned off. The following procedure steps you through the process of turning off the TPM. I understand that a physical presence is not required to turn off the TPM. To perform the following procedure, you must be logged into a TPM computer as the local administrator. Clearing the TPM cancels the TPM ownership and turns the TPM off. This should be done when the TPM owner has lost their TPM owner password and recovery information was not backed up. The following procedure steps you through the process of clearing the TPM.This is how you would clear the TPM in case this ever happened. If you do not know your TPM owner password, click I don't have the TPM owner password, and follow the instructions provided to turn off the TPM without entering the password.From reading this reset or clearing of the TPM it would be possible to get your own network tap working and run a man in the middle attack to impersonate an authorized machine and you can turn TPM off remotely? And then re-initialize and reseal with your own (user invisible) password so it'll check out as working just fine, No local presence or password required? To me this could be the biggest flaw in this Trusted Computing security.Once the TPM has been compromised the entire security that this technology provides can be circumvented and most likely the entire hard drives contents can be decrypted and viewed.It?s my opinion that Trusted Computing should not be given this type of control.This new technology has a long way to go before it should be put into use.A little info on me, I have been in the computer security filed for over 20 years.I have been responsible for protecting and securing thousands of computers desktops, and servers, with companies such as, Bendix, Westinghouse, Griffin, and others I just don?t like when the controllers just decide to do what they want to do and we are the ones that pay for it! Look at GAS! is there a shortage? I don't think so! They just rise the price because they know we depend on it and need it!Well...don't you think the computer industry knows this too?Let me know your opinions on this topic please!

[Inspiron 0]

I agree that this chip should be stop as it causes alot of inconviniences to computer owners. For what I know, you've already started quite a number of relavent topics regarding this issue. Anymore might become spam topics.

[savge17 0]

New technology in gerneral can always be a somewhat of a nuscence. You dont really know how reliable new technology is. For example my mother's bmw broke down on the freeway last night. The engine was fine and there was gas in the vehicle. The cars computer system had some bugs I guess and failed, witch made the car unable to start. Its this new technology that has to be looked into with more testing and more concern. People just want to get it released into the public ASAP to make $ as quickly as they can, but the problem with this is needed tests and trials are being missed, this amkes some new technology like this very un-reliable and un-wanted because critical tests like this are being evaded.

[TheMessage 0]

I agree that this chip should be stop as it causes alot of inconviniences to computer owners.
For what I know, you've already started quite a number of relavent topics regarding this issue. Anymore might become spam topics.

I don't mean for this to be some type of spam topic but it is a very important topic and should be addressed because the fact is that this chip is out in the public and if it's not in any of your electronics now it just might be in the next electronic device you buy.

The other issue with this chip is that this technology can be applied to many electronic devices.

We are allready at the mercy of the controllers because soon the TVs we are watching will be as powerful or more powerful then our computers. I beleive that soon this technology will control evey aspect of Video, Audio, and Data.

I just want to educate as many people as possible about this unfair technology.

Any computer can be secured very well with the proper software and configuration people just need to be educated about security.

Thanks
Edited April 13, 2006 by TheMessage (see edit history)