Microsoft announces Secured-core PCs to counter firmware attacks

ronjor · Oct 21, 2019

Emil Protalinski@EPro October 21, 2019

Microsoft today announced a new initiative to combat threats specifically targeted at the firmware level and data stored in memory: Secured-core PCs. Microsoft partnered with chip and computer makers to apply “security best practices of isolation and minimal trust to the firmware layer, or the device core, that underpins the Windows operating system.” Secured-core PCs will be available from Dell, Dynabook, HP, Lenovo, Panasonic, and Surface.
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itman · Oct 21, 2019

A key Secured-core PC device requirement is Windows Defender implementing System Guard Secure Launch using new hardware capabilities from AMD, Intel, and Qualcomm.
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Martin_C · Oct 21, 2019

Microsoft and partners design new device security requirements to protect against targeted firmware attacks.

Recent developments in security research and real-world attacks demonstrate that as more protections are proactively built into the OS and in connected services, attackers are looking for other avenues of exploitation with firmware emerging as a top target. In the last three years alone, NIST’s National Vulnerability Database has shown nearly a five-fold increase in the number of firmware vulnerabilities discovered.

To combat threats specifically targeted at the firmware and operating system levels, we’re announcing a new initiative we’ve been working on with partners to design what we call Secured-core PCs. These devices, created in partnership with our PC manufacturing and silicon partners, meet a specific set of device requirements that apply the security best practices of isolation and minimal trust to the firmware layer, or the device core, that underpins the Windows operating system. These devices are designed specifically for industries like financial services, government and healthcare, and for workers that handle highly-sensitive IP, customer or personal data, including PII as these are higher value targets for nation-state attackers.
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https://www.microsoft.com/security/...to-protect-against-targeted-firmware-attacks/

Meet the most secure Windows PC.

Secured-core PCs are the most secure Windows 10 devices out-of-the-box1 with integrated hardware, firmware, software, and identity protection.
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https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsforbusiness/windows10-secured-core-computers

AMD and Microsoft Secured-core PC.

In today’s world, computer security is becoming very important due the exponential increase in malware and ransomware attacks. Various studies have shown that a single malicious attack can cost companies millions of dollars and can require significant recovery time. With the growth of employees working remotely and connected to a network considered less secure than traditional corporate network, employee’s computer systems can be perceived as a weak security link and a risk to overall security of the company. Operating System (OS) and independent hardware vendors (IHV) are investing in security technologies which will make computers more resilient to cyberattacks.

Microsoft recently announced their Secured-core PC initiative which relies on a combined effort from OEM partners, silicon vendors and themselves to provide deeply integrated hardware, firmware and software for enhanced device security. As a leading silicon provider to the PC market, AMD will be a key partner in this effort with upcoming processors that are Secured-core PC compatible.
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https://community.amd.com/community/amd-business/blog/2019/10/21/amd-and-microsoft-secured-core-pc

Foundational PC Protection for the Changing Security Landscape.

Cyber-attacks are getting more sophisticated, and invaders are always on the lookout for the next surface of attack. As an industry, we have gotten good at software and OS-level protection. Virtualization-based technology has helped improve the security at the OS level. That means we are likely to see more hackers go after surfaces below that in hardware and firmware. We need to make sure we are improving security at those levels as well. As cyberattacks move down the layers of the stack, software-only security is no longer sufficient. Security established at each layer is only as secure as the next-lowest layer. The importance of foundational, silicon and firmware-level security has never been greater.

Working with our partner to address the new threat landscape.

Today, our partners at Microsoft announced that, using new hardware capabilities from Intel, Windows Defender now implements System Guard Secure Launch as a key Secured-core PC device requirement to better protect the boot process from firmware attacks. System Guard uses the Dynamic Root of Trust for Measurement (DRTM) capabilities that are built into the latest silicon from Intel.
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https://itpeernetwork.intel.com/foundational-pc-protection-for-the-changing-security-landscape/

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Microsoft announces Secured-core PCs to counter firmware attacks

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