Trusted Platform Modules (TPMs) are compact, affordable chips that provide essential security functions. Typically integrated into the motherboards of laptops and desktops—especially in corporate and government settings—TPMs are also found in many consumer devices, servers, or as standalone components. Their main purpose is to act as a Root of Trust, establishing a secure foundation from which trust in other system components can be built. TPMs are particularly valuable for three main tasks: remote machine identification (authentication), hardware-based protection of sensitive data, and attestation (providing verifiable evidence of a machine’s state).
This book explains the core uses of TPMs and addresses practical considerations, such as when and how TPMs should be used, their benefits and limitations, and step-by-step guidance for real-world implementation. It covers topics like deciding when to use a TPM, understanding TPM concepts and features, programming basics, provisioning and setup, key management, machine authentication, data protection, attestation, additional TPM capabilities, relevant software and standards, and troubleshooting. Appendices provide foundational cryptography concepts, command equivalence and requirements charts, and complete code examples.
