Microsoft patents secure chip to protect virtual machines
Microsoft has patented a method where a dedicated hardware security chip acts as a trusted vault for virtual machines running on a main processor. This chip handles sensitive security tasks, such as storing unique digital fingerprints and keys, keeping them separate for each virtual machine. The system uses encrypted channels to ensure that the security data remains protected even when moving between the main computer and the security chip.
In the filing’s own words
Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer-readable storage mediums described herein enable executable code of a hardware security platform (HSP) circuit to communicate with a hypervisor in a separate processor. The hypervisor generates and manages virtual machines. The HSP code comprises trusted platform module (TPM) logic, that processes TPM commands received via the hypervisor, and in response to the processing, communicates security information (e.g., measurements, keys, authorization data) with the virtual machines via the hypervisor. The TPM logic receives security information related to a virtual machine from the hypervisor and stores the security information in non-volatile memory of the HSP circuit, where security information from a particular VM is distinguishable from security information from another VM in the HSP memory. The hypervisor (and VMs) communicate via a network fabric with the HSP circuit within an SOC, or the HSP may reside on a discrete chip and communicate via a secure encrypted channel.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A hardware security platform (HSP) circuit comprising: a processor; and a memory comprising: HSP executable code configured to: communicate with one or more virtual machines executed in a separate processor coupled to the HSP circuit; instantiate trusted platform module (TPM) logic; and store, in non-volatile memory of the HSP circuit, a measurement of the TPM logic instantiation; an HSP measurement recorder configured to: instantiate the HSP executable code; and store, in the non-volatile memory, a measurement of the HSP executable code instantiation, wherein the measurement of the TPM logic instantiation is stored as an extension of the measurement of the HSP executable code instantiation.
Facts
- Company
- Microsoft (Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC)
- Official title
- Hardware virtualized TPM into virtual machines
- Patent number
- US12732374B2
- Application number
- 18813160
- Filed
- Aug 23, 2024
- Granted
- Sep 8, 2026
- Inventors
- 6
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
H04L 9/3234 Electricity & electronicsG06F 9/45558 Physics & computingH04L 9/083 Electricity & electronicsG06F 2009/45587 Physics & computingMore from Microsoft in Security & privacy
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.