Tag Archive for: processor

What Is Microsoft’s Pluton Security Processor and Why You Need It

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Microsoft has been ramping up the security of its ecosystem one step at a time. Windows 11 set the tone by making the TPM 2.0 chip mandatory for upgrade and installation. Taking it to the next level, the PC giant has introduced the Pluton Security Processor. So what is PSP or Pluton Security Processor, do you need it, and how or where can you get it? Let’s find out.

Also read:How to Safely Bypass the TPM 2.0 Requirement in Windows 11How to Safely Bypass the TPM 2.0 Requirement in Windows 11

What Is a Pluton Security Processor?

Microsoft has partnered with popular chip makers like Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm to develop a new security chip named Pluton Security Processor. It has been designed as a hardware unit that will be directly planted in the CPUs of upcoming computers. Why?

The chip provides tighter integration between the hardware (motherboard) and software (Windows OS and apps). Pluton aims to make it harder for hackers to break into computers and steal data or seize system access, even with physical access to the computer.

But don’t we have TPM chips for that?

Also read:The Ultimate Guide to Check Windows 11 Compatibility with Your PCThe Ultimate Guide to Check Windows 11 Compatibility with Your PC

Differences Between TPM and PSP

TPM or Trusted Processor Modules are hardware components that resides in your computer but are separate from the motherboard. While they do encrypt data and protect the user from several kinds of attacks, they fail to offer protection from an entire spectrum or vector of advanced attacks. For example, when the hacker has physical access to the computer, TPM chips can do little to protect the data’s integrity.

Another issue is that because TPM is not part of the motherboard, it needs a channel of communication to transfer data back and forth. This leaves the channel open for hackers to intercept and manipulate.

Windows Tpm Integration

TPM chips, though supported by Windows and powering security solutions like Windows BitLocker and Hello, are not default on most computers. With Pluton Security Processors, Microsoft wants to address these issues by partnering with big-name manufacturers and making Pluton the default standard.

Because the security chip is part of the motherboard and tightly integrated, there is no need to depend on an…

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Is Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor become a nightmare for Android?

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Android users may want to read this closely. There’s a new mobile chipset hitting the tech scene that may make your seemingly innocent smartphone a bit of a privacy scare.

Qualcomm recently announced its new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, and it’s set to power the next generation of Android smartphones in coming years. 

Qualcomm typically announces its newest system-on-a-chip this time of year, so it’s no surprise that the tech company finally revealed what will power the latest smartphones. The new processor will likely show up early next year. 

If you’re a loyal Android user, here’s more about this processor and what security issues to consider.

What Is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Processor?

Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Processor
Image: Qualcomm

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor is an advanced 5G mobile processor that supports all-day power and fast speeds up to 10 Gbps. It includes leading Wi-Fi 6 and 6E with multi-gig rates and allows multiple devices on one network.

Qualcomm promises some major improvements with the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, including:

  • Better performance
  • Camera technology
  • Security
  • AI capabilities
  • 5G

While security may be improved, there are some privacy concerns. Some experts say the new chipset may present security issues for Android smartphone users.

Potential Privacy and Security Issues With the Processor

Judd Heape, vice president of product management at Qualcomm, was recently quoted saying, “Your phone’s front camera is always securely looking for your face, even if you don’t touch it or raise to wake it.” 

Essentially, Heape says that the front-facing camera on phones equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor will always be on. While some may find this feature to be next level, others are worried it will pose privacy issues. 

Qualcomm sees the feature as the beginning of new use cases, like unlocking your phone without having to pick it up. If you’re making a new recipe and your hands get messy, the always-on feature does come in handy.

However, for the average consumer with a basic sense of security, the idea of your phone’s camera being always-on is quite…

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USC cybersecurity expert discusses JBS meat processor hack

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While larger companies are often more secure, Chintser Huang, who studies network security, said the attackers know where to look.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Investigations into a cyberattack that disrupted production at the world’s largest meat supplier JBS continued Monday evening.

JBS is the second major company in the U.S. to be hacked in less than a month, after the Colonial Pipeline, which delivers about 45 percent of fuel used on the east coast, was targeted in May.

“If you are asking how often this kind of attack will happen, I can tell you it happens all the time,” Chintser Huang, a Department of Computer Science and Engineering Professor at USC, said.

RELATED: Parent company of Sumter processing plant affected by global cyberattack

While larger companies are often more secure, Huang, who studies network security, said the attackers know where to look.

“Large servers usually are well protected, which means they install sophisticated protection mechanisms,” Huang said. “However, the attacker doesn’t need to attack those larger servers directly.”

It just takes a few vulnerable machines, Huang says, for the hacker to break through, often targeting smaller devices with less protections to launch their attack.

“Those larger servers will now be more vulnerable because the attack doesn’t come from outside, but from inside,” Huang said.

RELATED: World’s largest meat company hit by cyberattack, FBI investigating

At this time, JBS hasn’t provided an official cause of the hack, but Huang says there are…

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Hackers foiled by ‘shape-shifting’ processor

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We have developed and tested a secure new computer processor that thwarts hackers by randomly changing its underlying structure, thus making it virtually impossible to hack.

Last summer, 525 security researchers spent three months trying to hack our Morpheus processor as well as others. All attempts against Morpheus failed. This study was part of a program sponsored by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Program Agency to design a secure processor that could protect vulnerable software. DARPA released the results on the program to the public for the first time in January 2021.

A processor is the piece of computer hardware that runs software programs. Since a processor underlies all software systems, a secure processor has the potential to protect any software running on it from attack. Our team at the University of Michigan first developed Morpheus, a secure processor that thwarts attacks by turning the computer into a puzzle, in 2019.

A processor has an architecture – x86 for most laptops and ARM for most phones – which is the set of instructions software needs to run on the processor. Processors also have a microarchitecture, or the “guts” that enable the execution of the instruction set, the speed of this execution and how much power it consumes.

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