Trusted Computing Group Releases Server Spec

WASHINGTON — The Trusted Computer Group released its specification on Monday (July 18) for trusted servers that the group said will strengthen protections for data and transactions.

The group said its trusted server spec complements specifications for trusted clients. About 15 million trusted clients have been shipped so far by PC vendors, it said. Also being implemented by several vendors is a trusted network architecture. Trust mobile, storage and peripheral systems are also planned.

“The trusted server specification gives the industry an open specification to develop systems that are less prone to attack and malicious access, further strengthening the benefits of trusted clients," Jim Ward, the group's president, said in a statement.

"In combination with the existing specifications for PCs and the Trusted Network Connect specification, the trusted server efforts represent a critical step in the TCG mission of defining a comprehensive set of open device and interface definitions for trusted computing," Ward added.

The trusted server spec supports x86, MIPS, Sparc and Intel Itanium processors. The basis for the specification is a "trusted platform module" (TPM) chip that stores digital keys, certificates and passwords.

Observers said it remains unclear whether the server TPM chip will differ from existing TPM desktop PC chips.