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Microsoft Introduces 'Pluton' Processor to PCs

CIO Insider Team | Wednesday, 18 November, 2020
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CIO Insider Team

Microsoft launches the new era of Personal Computer processor through Pluton, which will bring Xbox-like security to Windows PCs. The futuristic project has seen Microsoft joining hands with the biggest silicon partners including AMD, Intel, and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. The chip-to-cloud security technology, which was pioneered by the company in Xbox and Azure Sphere, will bring even more security advancements to future Windows PCs, while also implicates a collaborative approach with ecosystem and OEM partners.

In a blog post, David Weston, Director – Enterprise & OS Security, Microsoft says, “Our vision for the future of Windows PCs is security at the very core,

built into the CPU, where hardware and software are tightly integrated in a unified approach designed to eliminate entire vectors of attack. This revolutionary security processor design will make it significantly more difficult for attackers to hide beneath the operating system, and improve our ability to guard against physical attacks, prevent the theft of credential and encryption keys, and provide the ability to recover from software bugs.”

The Pluton design is set to redefine Windows security at the CPU

The Pluton design is set to redefine Windows security at the CPU. Currently, Windows PCs live on Trusted Platform Module (TPM), which is a hardware component used to help securely store keys and measurements that verify the integrity of the system. Microsoft believes that given the effectiveness of the TPM at performing critical security tasks, attackers have begun to innovate ways to attack it, particularly in situations where an attacker can steal or temporarily gain physical access to a PC.

The Pluton is designed to cut this communication channel of attack by building security directly into the CPU. Windows PCs using the Pluton architecture will first emulate a retrofitting TPM, enabling customers to immediately benefit from enhanced security for Windows features that rely on TPMs like BitLocker and System Guard. The Pluton powered will bank on the Pluton security processor to protect credentials, user identities, encryption keys, and personal data.

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