The Trusted Computing Initiative - Abstract

Several years ago, major hardware and software companies have formed the Trusted Computing Platform Alliance (TCPA). The group was aimed at producing a more secure and trustworthy computing:

• A computer can check its own security and trust level (viruses and worms could be easily found and identified)
• A computer could prove its security level to other computers
• A computer could prove it is not ripping the CD to the CD
• and many more

As trusted computing in a sufficient level to satisfy the above conditions, could only be achieved with dedicated hardware on each and every computer, the basic idea is to have a Trust Platform Module (TPM) on any digital machine. Moreover, the TPMs must be automatically activated, and without a way for the user to disable them. This, however, raises suspicion, as the TCPA companies (now known as TCG), can implement whatever they like in the TPM.

The lecture will cover the need for TPMs and the general mechanism of tracking and proving trust. We intend to discuss some of its technical problems, and if time permits the philosophical problems which arise.