Microsoft's Pluton processor provides Windows PCs with Xbox-like security

Microsoft is developing a new security chip to protect future Windows PCs. Pluton is Microsoft's replacement for thebuilt directly into future CPUs to replace the existing Trusted Platform Module (TPM), which protects cryptographic keys and hardware.sed to protect Xbox consoles.

In addition, the new chip is designed to block new and emerging attack vectors used to compromise computers, such as Spectre and Meltdown security flaws. Intel announced in 2018 that it would redesign its processors to protect against future attacks, and Pluton is an even better way of protecting both Windows PCs and CPUs.

When physical access to a device is available, attackers have developed ways of stealing data and information passing between a TPM and CPU. By integrating Pluton into the CPU, it should be more difficult in the future to hack a Windows PC, just as you can't easily hack an Xbox One to run pirated games.

The Xbox has physical attack protection, so people can't hack it for games, according to Microsoft's director of enterprise and OS security, David Weston. Using what we learned from that experience, we're partnering with Intel to build a PC capable of standing up to emerging attack vectors."

Often, companies sell kits with zero-day vulnerabilities that give attackers access to computers and allow them to physically break open PCs in order to steal information that can be used to gain access to company servers or personal information. This will no longer be possible on the PC platform in the future, according to Weston.

Pluton is essentially a direct implementation of the TPM with the same APIs as today's TPM, so anything that currently uses a TPM can use Pluton in the future. In the future, Pluton will be able to support features such as BitLocker encryption and Windows Hello authentication.

Pluton will be updated from the cloud as a result of Microsoft's collaboration with Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm. Patch Tuesday, the same day as Windows updates, will be used to deliver updates on a monthly basis. The hope is that this will result in faster updates for Windows-based computers used by consumers and businesses.

It's unclear when PCs with Pluton chips will be available, but Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm have all stated that this capability will be included in future CPUs. Custom PCs with Pluton chips will still be possible, and Linux support will be available at some point.

"This is a feature that we will include in the future," says Mike Nordquist, Intel's director of strategic planning and architecture. "The idea is that you won't have to look for a replacement." There are no firm details on Linux support yet, but Microsoft already uses Pluton with Linux in its Azure Sphere devices, so it should be available soon." According to Nordquist, Intel also supports choice and does not "want to start doing different things for a bunch of different OS vendors."

The new chips and security raise new concerns about DRM and the fact that processors will now request updates from Microsoft's cloud infrastructure. "This is not about DRM, it's about security," Weston explains, adding, "We will create an API where people can use it for content protection, but this is more about mainstream security and protecting identity and encryption keys."

Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm all clearly believe that continuously updated processors with built-in security are the future of Windows PCs. Spectre and Meltdown served as a wake-up call to the entire industry, and Pluton is a significant response to the complex security threats that modern PCs are now facing.