Microsoft brings its on-die Pluton security processor to Intel, AMD CPUs

mood · Nov 17, 2020

Microsoft brings its on-die Pluton security processor to Intel, AMD CPUs
November 17, 2020
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/ne...-pluton-security-processor-to-intel-amd-cpus/

Microsoft is integrating its Pluton security processor directly into Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm CPUs to better secure Windows PCs.
Pluton security processors to the rescue
Microsoft is now partnering with Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm to introduce the Pluton security processor as an on-die chip in their CPUs. As an integrated processor, it will be able to perform secure cryptographic functions without the risk of data leaking as it is communicating with the CPU.

Introduced in the XBOX One and Azure Sphere, the Pluton security processor will emulate a TPM so that it can perform secure cryptographic functions and protect the boot process, encryption keys, and credentials directly on the CPU. This prevents malware and other malicious attacks from gaining access to the data.
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By utilizing the cloud to handle hardware firmware updates, Microsoft hopes to eliminate patching conflicts while maintaining a secure method of updating hardware.
Microsoft, Intel, and AMD have not indicated when new processors with the integrated Pluton security processor will be available.
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Microsoft: Meet the Microsoft Pluton processor – The security chip designed for the future of Windows PCs

BoerenkoolMetWorst · Nov 19, 2020

Another Intel ME like closed processor...
And with a direct connection to Microsofts cloud

mood · Jan 4, 2022

First Microsoft Pluton-powered Windows 11 PCs unveiled at CES
January 4, 2022

Lenovo unveiled today at CES 2022 the first Microsoft Pluton-powered Windows 11 PCs, the ThinkPad Z13 and Z16, with AMD Ryzen 6000 Series processors.

"The Microsoft Pluton is a security processor, pioneered in Xbox and Azure Sphere, designed to store sensitive data, like encryption keys, securely within the Pluton hardware, which is integrated into the die of a device's CPU and is therefore more difficult for attackers to access, even if they have physical possession of a device," explained David Weston, Director of Enterprise and OS Security at Microsoft.
"This design helps ensure that emerging attack techniques cannot access key material," he added.
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You can find more about Lenovo's Pluton-powered ThinkPad Z13 and Z16 that come preloaded with Windows 11 by going here.

AMD also provides further details on their new Ryzen 6000 Series processors in this press release.
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The Microsoft Pluton security processor
In November 2020, Microsoft announced it would integrate its Pluton security processor into Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm CPUs as an on-die chip to reduce the available attack surface on Windows PCs.
If altered firmware is detected, the processor will securely patch it via Windows Update using up-to-date software directly from Microsoft.

The on-die security processor also has built-in checks for firmware integrity to prevent malware from making malicious modifications.

"When Pluton is configured as the TPM 2.0 for a Windows 11 system, Pluton helps protect Windows Hello credentials by keeping them further isolated from attackers," Weston said.
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mood · Jan 4, 2022

AMD Ryzen 6000 Series Mobile CPUs Feature Microsoft's Pluton Security
January 4, 2022

We hadn't heard much of Microsoft's Pluton since 2020 but integration into the silicon obviously takes a while and now we find out AMD is ready to introduce it with their forthcoming Ryzen 6000 series processors. AMD's CES 2022 keynote is later today but the CES website has exposed early that the Ryzen 6000 series mobile processors will indeed have Microsoft Pluton: [...]

This ces.tech page makes note of the new processors featuring Microsoft Pluton.
Back to the Microsoft 2020 announcement of Pluton they talked up cloud security and all the benefits albeit only for Windows PCs with no mention of Linux.
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We also haven't seen any patches (yet?) from Microsoft or AMD looking to enable Pluton security processor functionality under Linux... We'll see what comes of this new security feature and whether it means anything for Linux users -- either for improving system security or causing any obstacles in Linux/BSD open-source usage.

AMD's CES 2022 press conference is coming up in just a few hours so stay tuned for more new hardware details then and what the company has to say about Pluton.
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Rasheed187 · Jan 9, 2022

BoerenkoolMetWorst said: ↑

Another Intel ME like closed processor...
And with a direct connection to Microsofts cloud
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I'm actually a bit surprised, since when is M$ building chips, I mean why didn't Intel and AMD came up with this?

BoerenkoolMetWorst · Jan 21, 2022

For those worried about Microsoft's Pluton TPM chip: Lenovo won't even switch it on by default in latest ThinkPads
https://www.theregister.com/2022/01/20/microsoft_amd_pluton_lenovo/

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Microsoft brings its on-die Pluton security processor to Intel, AMD CPUs

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