The author seems misinformed about the purpose of TPM to DRM schemes.

The purpose of a TPM, in this case, is not to provide encryption, but instead to provide so-called ‘authenticity’. A TPM with its attestation capabilities can allow a remote validator to attest the operating system and system software you are running via the PCRs which are configured based on it, with Secure Boot preventing tampering. [1] Google tried to implement APIs to plug this into the Chrome browser, which was later abandoned after backlash. [2]

In this case, the TPM can allow services like Netflix or Hulu to validate the hardware and software you are currently running, which provides the base for a hardware DRM implementation as stated in the article. Don’t be surprised if your non-standard OS isn’t allowed to play back content due to its remote validation failing if this is implemented.

TPMs also have a unique, cryptographically verifiable identifier that is burnt into the chip and can be read from software. This allows for essentially a unique ID for each computer that is not able to be forged, as it is signed by the TPM manufacturer (in most cases Intel/AMD as TPMs on consumer hardware are usually emulated on the CPUs TEE). If you were around for the Pentium III serial controversy, this is a very similar issue. It's already used as the primary method of banning users on certain online video games, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it expand to services requiring it to prove you aren’t a “bot” or similar if it gets wider adoption.

There is a great article going more into detail about the implications of TPM to privacy from several years ago, which was the basis for this reply. [3]

[1]: https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/azure-docs/blob/main/articl...

[2]: https://github.com/explainers-by-googlers/Web-Environment-In...

[3]: https://secret.club/2021/06/28/windows11-tpms.html

user:	ntqvm
created:	December 9, 2023
karma:	10