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I have not read the paper, and I could be wrong. However, these appear to be attacks against the crypto implemented inside a TPM/fTPM. The reference implementa

I have not read the paper, and I could be wrong. However, these appear to be attacks against the crypto implemented inside a TPM/fTPM. The reference implementation of TPM 2.0 leaves the choice of the crypto library up to the platform vendor. If my suspicions are correct, it sounds like some of the platform vendors decided to use crypto libraries vulnerable to timing attacks. Hmmm...

xyzzyz 7y ago
If you look at IBM's TPM 2.0 implementation[1], you can see that they don't use any well tested libraries for crypto primitives, but rather uses what looks like home-cooked crypto implementation. Microsoft, on the other hand, seems to support OpenSSL and wolfSSL in their simulator[2]. [1] - http://ibmswtpm.sourceforge.net/ibmswtpm2.html http://ibmswtpm.sourceforge.net/ibmswtpm2.html [2] - https://github.com/microsoft/ms-tpm-20-ref https://github.com/microsoft/ms-tpm-20-ref
- wolf550e 7y ago
  You're not supposed to use the IBM TPM emulator for anything except developing software that talks to a real TPM without using a real TPM.
  - xyzzyz 7y ago
    Sure, but what exactly do you think real TPM manufacturers are putting inside them? They must run some crypto code, do you think they won’t just reuse IBMs emulator? Or that they will come up with something more secure?
    - wolf550e 7y ago
      I hope that's what happens, yes.
- matthewaveryusa 7y ago
  IBM's implementation is really scary. I read through the codebase and my WTF meter went through the roof. It looks like the codebase of some evil genius that invented a world of coding practices of his own.
  - xyzzyz 7y ago
    You’ll find it interesting then that this codebase is mostly consisting of reference implementation. These WTF practices are straight from TPM 2.0 standard. See https://trustedcomputinggroup.org/wp-content/uploads/TPM-Rev-2.0-Part-3-Commands-01.38-code.pdf https://trustedcomputinggroup.org/wp-content/uploads/TPM-Rev...
- devnullbyte 7y ago
  The researchers used the intel tpm2-tss stack.
  - wolf550e 7y ago
    tpm2-tss is not an implementation of a TPM, it's a client of the TPM protocol that talks to a server. The server in this protocol can be a real TPM reached by a linux device file or a TPM arbitrator (in kernel on in userspace) or a TPM emulator (the IBM one linked above), etc. tpm2-tools are CLI utilities that use the tpm2-tss library.

xyzzyz 7y ago

If you look at IBM's TPM 2.0 implementation[1], you can see that they don't use any well tested libraries for crypto primitives, but rather uses what looks like home-cooked crypto implementation. Microsoft, on the other hand, seems to support OpenSSL and wolfSSL in their simulator[2]. [1] - http://ibmswtpm.sourceforge.net/ibmswtpm2.html http://ibmswtpm.sourceforge.net/ibmswtpm2.html [2] - https://github.com/microsoft/ms-tpm-20-ref https://github.com/microsoft/ms-tpm-20-ref

wolf550e 7y ago
You're not supposed to use the IBM TPM emulator for anything except developing software that talks to a real TPM without using a real TPM.
- xyzzyz 7y ago
  Sure, but what exactly do you think real TPM manufacturers are putting inside them? They must run some crypto code, do you think they won’t just reuse IBMs emulator? Or that they will come up with something more secure?
  - wolf550e 7y ago
    I hope that's what happens, yes.
matthewaveryusa 7y ago
IBM's implementation is really scary. I read through the codebase and my WTF meter went through the roof. It looks like the codebase of some evil genius that invented a world of coding practices of his own.
- xyzzyz 7y ago
  You’ll find it interesting then that this codebase is mostly consisting of reference implementation. These WTF practices are straight from TPM 2.0 standard. See https://trustedcomputinggroup.org/wp-content/uploads/TPM-Rev-2.0-Part-3-Commands-01.38-code.pdf https://trustedcomputinggroup.org/wp-content/uploads/TPM-Rev...
devnullbyte 7y ago
The researchers used the intel tpm2-tss stack.
- wolf550e 7y ago
  tpm2-tss is not an implementation of a TPM, it's a client of the TPM protocol that talks to a server. The server in this protocol can be a real TPM reached by a linux device file or a TPM arbitrator (in kernel on in userspace) or a TPM emulator (the IBM one linked above), etc. tpm2-tools are CLI utilities that use the tpm2-tss library.