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Building a Titan: Better security through a tiny chip

android-developers.googleblog.com

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Re: Building a Titan: Better security through a tiny chip

#51

Post by gonvaled »

nickik wrote: post #48
ngngngng wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why does this matter when a google device sends all information home and can be requested by the FBI with a sweeping gag order warrant? Seems like more security theater to me.

Even if assume Google sends stuff to the FBI. You still want secure hardware so that nobody else can get at your stuff.

If your threat model is "being attacked by a surveillance actor", the fact that "nobody else can get at your stuff" (which is something that you are in a position to at least theoretically defend) is not very reassuring ...

Re: Building a Titan: Better security through a tiny chip

#53

Post by nickik »

gonvaled wrote: post #51
nickik wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even if assume Google sends stuff to the FBI. You still want secure hardware so that nobody else can get at your stuff.

If your threat model is "being attacked by a surveillance actor", the fact that "nobody else can get at your stuff" (which is something that you are in a position to at least theoretically defend) is not very reassuring ...

I did not say that was may thread model. And yes its not very reassuring but it is still important.

Re: Building a Titan: Better security through a tiny chip

#54

Post by m3rc »

jsjohnst wrote: post #34
m3rc wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm pretty sure the Pixel 2 had hardware keystore security on par with an iPhone 6/7, which is what that suggests.

GP didn’t ask “hardware keystore” and either way, it’s a false assumption you made. The Titan M is the first comparable chip, based on marketing speak, to Apple’s equivalent. Give it time to see if the marketing speak lives up to technical reality, but my guess at this point is that they’ll be roughly comparable now .

Which actual differences exist between the hardware security of a Pixel 2 and an iPhone 7?

Re: Building a Titan: Better security through a tiny chip

#55

Post by rkangel »

jor-el wrote: post #50

Can someone throw some light on why Google is not using ARM Trustzone technology? Many current Android OEMs are using it, particularly Samsung KNOX is security mechanism all built around trustzone technology. What advantages does these Titan chips offer over the existing trustzone technology.

Trustzone is on the same die, same physical memory. Presumably they think that it's potentially vulnerable to the sidechannel attacks they mention.

Plus, they want a full, open source, verifiable system which isn't possible with ARM IP.

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