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The Backbone of Cybersecurity: Hardware Security Modules

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Re: The Backbone of Cybersecurity: Hardware Security Modules

#3
If anyone wants their own HSM, Nitrokey and Yubikey sell them:

* https://shop.nitrokey.com/shop/nkhs2-nitrokey-hsm-2-7

* https://www.yubico.com/product/yubihsm-2-series/yubihsm-2/

Consider buying two to have backups ((encrypted) export/import-backup/restore is supported).

Creating your own CA:

* https://docs.nitrokey.com/hsm/mac/certificate-authority

Considering using 'helper software' for running a CA:

* https://github.com/smallstep / https://smallstep.com/docs/step-ca/

* https://github.com/OpenVPN/easy-rsa

* https://hohnstaedt.de/xca/

* https://github.com/FiloSottile/mkcert (good for on-one-host dev stuff)

Re: The Backbone of Cybersecurity: Hardware Security Modules

#8
post #6

if anyone wants an open source HSM on the cheap based on a raspberry pi that is pkcs11 compatible, check out the picohsm project https://www.picokeys.com/pico-hsm/

> Operation Time

> RSA key length (bits) Average time (seconds)

> 1024 16

> 2048 124

> 3072 600

> 4096 ~1000

That must be a typo, that they mean milli seconds - right? Otherwise this seems too slow to do anything useful?

Re: The Backbone of Cybersecurity: Hardware Security Modules

#9
post #6

if anyone wants an open source HSM on the cheap based on a raspberry pi that is pkcs11 compatible, check out the picohsm project https://www.picokeys.com/pico-hsm/

> Operation Time > RSA key length (bits) Average time (seconds) > 1024 16 > 2048 124 > 3072 600 > 4096 ~1000 That must be a typo, that they mean milli seconds - right? Otherwise this seems too slow to do anything useful?

That does seem exceptionally slow, although RSA key generation is also notoriously slow.

(In most settings where an HSM is used, you shouldn’t be generating keys all that often. So these times are often acceptable.)

Re: The Backbone of Cybersecurity: Hardware Security Modules

#10
Two small notes on definitions:

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"Secure Elements / Hardware Roots of Trust: Embedded within chips, these elements provide a secure base for trusted operations and are often used in mobile devices and IoT applications."

SEs (Secure Elements) are discrete components. Smartcards and SIM cards are examples of SEs. They are different from a root of trust. When talked about in a cryptographic context a 'hardware root of trust' is usually a public key embedded in an immutable ROM.

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"Secure Enclaves: These provide isolated execution environments within a CPU..."

Not necessarily within a CPU. Apple has the SEP (Secure Enclave Processor) which is a discrete core on the die.

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