NGSCB: Back to the Drawing Board

“Trusted computing” technology plans for Windows are undergoing a major revision, Microsoft has announced. Specifically, the company is redesigning the Next-Generation Secure Computing Base (NGSCB), a technology that would employ hardware to secure sensitive data on PCs. NGSCB was slated to be a feature of the next version of Windows, but it was never fully developed and little is known about the new architecture. Partners and customers should wait for clear information, including detailed documentation and a new build that enables existing applications to be updated to take advantage of NGSCB, before writing NGSCB into any future planning.

Scope Had Already Been Reduced

NGSCB, initially code-named Palladium, was the cornerstone of Microsoft’s long-term plans to better secure Windows by using a new generation of PC hardware specifically designed to enhance security and privacy by protecting sensitive data from leaks, and to reduce piracy by protecting sensitive content (such as digital music) from unauthorized copying. In particular, NGSCB was intended to provide the following capabilities on the Windows platform: