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authorSven Vermeulen <sven.vermeulen@siphos.be>2012-08-14 22:01:22 +0200
committerSven Vermeulen <sven.vermeulen@siphos.be>2012-08-14 22:01:22 +0200
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parentAdd info on TPM (diff)
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Update preview for concepts
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@@ -414,6 +414,141 @@ it took before.
<p class="chaphead"><a name="doc_chap6"></a><span class="chapnum">6.
</span>An implementation: the Trusted Computing Group functionality</p>
<p class="secthead"><a name="doc_chap6_sect1">Trusted Platform Module</a></p>
+<p>
+Years ago, a non-profit organization called the <a href="http://www.trustedcomputinggroup.org">Trusted Computing Group</a> was
+formed to work on and promote open standards for hardware-enabled trusted
+computing and security technologies, including hardware blocks and software
+interfaces across multiple platforms.
+</p>
+<p>
+One of its deliverables is the <span class="emphasis">Trusted Platform Module</span>, abbreviated to
+TPM, to help achieve these goals. But what are these goals exactly (especially
+in light of our integrity project)?
+</p>
+<ul>
+ <li>
+ Support hardware-assisted record (measuring) of what software is (or was)
+ running on the system since it booted in a way that modifications to this
+ record (or the presentation of a different, fake record) can be easily
+ detected
+ </li>
+ <li>
+ Support the secure reporting to a third party of this state (measurement) so
+ that the third party can attest that the system is indeed in a sane state
+ </li>
+</ul>
+<p>
+The idea of providing a hardware-assisted method is to prevent software-based
+attacks or malpractices that would circumvent security measures. By running some
+basic (but important) functions in a protected, tamper-resistant hardware module
+(the TPM) even rooted devices cannot work around some of the measures taken to
+"trust" a system.
+</p>
+<p>
+The TPM chip itself does not influence the execution of a system. It is, in
+fact, a simple request/reply service and needs to be called by software
+functions. However, it provides a few services that make it a good candidate to
+set up a trusted platform (next to its hardware-based protection measures to
+prevent tampering of the TPM hardware itself):
+</p>
+<ul>
+ <li>
+ Asymmetric crypto engine, supporting the generation of asymmetric keys (RSA
+ with a keylength of 2048 bits) and standard operations with those keys
+ </li>
+ <li>
+ A random noise generator
+ </li>
+ <li>
+ A SHA-1 hashing engine
+ </li>
+ <li>
+ Protected (and encrypted) memory for user data and key storage
+ </li>
+ <li>
+ Specific registers (called PCRs) to which a system can "add" data to
+ </li>
+</ul>
+<p class="secthead"><a name="doc_chap6_sect2">Platform Configuration Registers, Reporting and Storage</a></p>
+<p>
+PCR registers are made available to support securely recording the state of
+(specific parts of) the system. Unlike processor registers that software can
+reset as needed, PCR registers can only be "extended": the previous value in the
+register is taken together with the new provided value, hashed and
+stored again. This has the advantage that a value stores both the knowledge of
+the data presented to it as well as its order (providing values AAA and BBB
+gives a different end result than providing values BBB and AAA), and that the
+PCR can be extended an unlimited number of times.
+</p>
+<p>
+A system that wants to securely "record" each command executed can take the hash
+of each command (before it executes it), send that to the PCR, record the event
+and then execute the command. The system (kernel or program) is responsible for
+recording the values sent to the PCR, but at the end, the value inside
+the PCR has to be the same as the one calculated from the record. If it differs,
+then the list is incorrect and the "secure" state of the system cannot be proven.
+</p>
+<p>
+To support secure reporting of this value to a "third party" (be it a local
+software agent or a remote service) the TPM supports secure reporting of the PCR
+values: an RSA signature is made on the PCR value as well as on a random
+number (often called the "nonce") given by the third party (proving there is no
+man-in-the-middle or replay attack). Because the private key of this signature
+is securely stored on the TPM this signature cannot be forged.
+</p>
+<p>
+The TPM chip has (at least) 24 PCR registers available. These registers will
+contain the extended values for
+</p>
+<ul>
+ <li>
+ BIOS, ROM and memory block data (PCR 0-4)
+ </li>
+ <li>
+ OS loaders (PCR 5-7)
+ </li>
+ <li>
+ Operating System-provided data (PCR 8-15)
+ </li>
+ <li>
+ Debugging data (PCR 16)
+ </li>
+ <li>
+ Localities and Trusted Operating System data (PCR 17-22)
+ </li>
+ <li>
+ Application-specific data (PCR 23)
+ </li>
+</ul>
+<p>
+The idea of using PCRs is to first <span class="emphasis">measure</span> the data a component is about
+to execute (or transfer control to), then <span class="emphasis">extend</span> the appropriate PCR,
+then <span class="emphasis">log</span> this event in a measurement log and finally <span class="emphasis">transfer
+control</span> to the measured component. This provides a trust "chain".
+</p>
+<p class="secthead"><a name="doc_chap6_sect3">Trusting the TPM</a></p>
+<p>
+In order to trust the TPM, the TCG basis its model on asymmetric keys. Each TPM chip
+has a 2048-bit private RSA key securely stored in the chip. This key, called the
+<span class="emphasis">Endorsement Key</span>, is typically generated by the TPM manufacturer during
+the creation of the TPM chip, and is backed by an Endorsement Key certificate
+issued by the TPM manufacturer. This EK certificate guarantees that the EK is in
+fact an Endorsement Key for a given TPM (similar to how an SSL certificate is
+"signed" by a Root CA). The private key cannot leave the TPM chip.
+</p>
+<p>
+A second key, called the <span class="emphasis">Storage Root Key</span>, is generated by the TPM chip
+when someone takes "ownership" of the TPM. Although the key cannot leave the TPM
+chip, it can be removed (when someone else takes ownership). This key is used to
+encrypt data and other keys (user <span class="emphasis">Storage Keys</span> and <span class="emphasis">Signature
+Keys</span>).
+</p>
+<p>
+The other keys (storage and signature keys) can leave the TPM chip, but always
+in an encrypted state that only the TPM can decrypt. That way, the system can
+generate specific user storage keys securely and extract them, storing them on
+non-protected storage and reload them when needed in a secure manner).
+</p>
<br><p class="copyright">
The contents of this document, unless otherwise expressly stated, are
licensed under the <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0">CC-BY-SA-3.0</a> license. The <a href="http://www.gentoo.org/main/en/name-logo.xml"> Gentoo Name and Logo Usage Guidelines </a> apply.
@@ -436,7 +571,7 @@ it took before.
</td>
<td width="1%" bgcolor="#dddaec" valign="top"><table border="0" cellspacing="4px" cellpadding="4px">
<tr><td class="topsep" align="center"><p class="altmenu"><a title="View a printer-friendly version" class="altlink" href="swift?style=printable">Print</a></p></td></tr>
-<tr><td class="topsep" align="center"><p class="alttext">Page updated July 30, 2012</p></td></tr>
+<tr><td class="topsep" align="center"><p class="alttext">Page updated August 14, 2012</p></td></tr>
<tr><td class="topsep" align="left"><p class="alttext"><b>Summary: </b>
Integrity validation is a wide field in which many technologies play a role.
This guide aims to offer a high-level view on what integrity validation is all