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Idea #12882: Better support for TCPA chips

Written by Auzy the 6 Sep 08 at 23:52. Category: Security. Related project: Nothing/Others. Status: New
Rationale
TPM chips are a way of storing private encryption keys on a chip where they cannot be stolen by hackers. The problem with Hard-disk storage of keys, is that hackers simply need to copy the key off.

We could support them in places such as the keychain so that the keychain cannot be decrypted from any computer other then the one you are on. It could also potentially be used for SSH servers, or for HTTPS websites, for signing (and storing the key securely to eliminate MITM attacks later on).

There are many cases where we could greatly increase security by storing our keys in a more secure fashion, because as of now, with root access, servers keys become compromised, but that can be avoided via TCPA.
Tags: tc tcpa

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Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #12882
Written by Auzy the 6 Sep 08 at 23:52.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #12882 was submitted before this update, its rationale and solution are not separated. Please vote accordingly, and if you have the necessary rights, please separate the rationale from the solution. Thanks!

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Auzy wrote on the 7 Sep 08 at 02:51
Description is getting too long, but I would like to say here, that TCPA has gotten a bit of a bad wrap, because its used a lot by DRM, however, its also a VERY secure way of storing private keys, and we should be using it to store all of our keys if possible

Its got nothing to do with DRM or palladium in reality, it just helps with such goals. But its a damned excellent way of improving security too.

Eldmannen wrote on the 7 Sep 08 at 04:21
A animated movie about Trusted Computing.
http://www.lafkon.net/tc/

Eldmannen wrote on the 7 Sep 08 at 04:22
Can You Trust Your Computer?
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/can-you-trust.html

Eldmannen wrote on the 7 Sep 08 at 04:25
`Trusted Computing' Frequently Asked Questions
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/tcpa-faq.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusted_Computing

Eldmannen wrote on the 7 Sep 08 at 04:26
Trusted computing is a double-edged sword.

I think Linux already does have some support for TC.

Eldmannen wrote on the 7 Sep 08 at 04:28
http://trousers.sourceforge.net/

Trousers is in the Ubuntu repository.

glotz wrote on the 7 Sep 08 at 06:26
"Trusted computing" or rather treacherous computing is another method of taking power and freedom away from the user and putting it into hands of unknown outsiders.

No thanks! -1

Auzy wrote on the 7 Sep 08 at 06:33
Read the first comment dumbass...

TCPA got a bad wrap because of idiots in the media, and the idiot linux crowd who didn't understand it.

The idea behind the TCPA chip is that you can put a key in there, and not extract it. So if your computer is compromised, they CANNOT steal your private key for encryption (because the chip encrypts it too). So this means if I get hacked, my SSL certificate stays secure (and will only ever come from that computer), and it also means my private key for SSH wont be compromised.


Think of TCPA as a write-only, Encryption chip. It wasn't designed to lock users out, and its not about taking freedom or power away or any of that f***ing bullshit. Its for security.


Microsoft for instance isn't using it to lock users out, but for their drive encryption. Get your facts straight !!!!

glotz wrote on the 7 Sep 08 at 14:12
Security is the classic pretext for stealing people's freedoms.

zooounds wrote on the 8 Sep 08 at 08:25
Auzy: Bitlocker is easy hacked BECAUSE of the TCPA chip If I recall right. Cold boot attack - anyone can do it.

Auzy wrote on the 8 Sep 08 at 08:53
I dont know if a cold boot attack works, a lot of papers I have found say you need physical access to the computer (i may be wrong)

zooounds wrote on the 18 Sep 08 at 06:35
Yep, you need physical access.

Auzy wrote on the 18 Sep 08 at 06:59
Yeah, but cold booting attacks would also work as equally on non-TCPA systems then. With physical access you can do anything.

The question is, can TCPA protect keys against hackers who dont have physical access to the system, to a much greater extent then without? With physical access to the system they could compromise the machine anyway with other methods.


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