Google explains how the Pixel 3's impressive Titan M chip secures the phone – BGR



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Today, Google has shared some of the first details of the claim that Pixel 3 is "the most secure phone yet." recent event Pixel 3 in New York on the fact that these new flagship phones are the first to use the security chip Titan M of the company.

This chip, Google explains today in a blog post, is a corporate-class security chip specifically designed for the Pixel 3. With it, says Xiaowen Xin, a member of the Security Android team, in his article, Google uses the best features of the Titan chip used in the company's Google Cloud data centers and tailored for mobile. What's more, as CNET According to the report's notes, the Titan M chip is a Google-specific chip that is not part of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, which already has a variety of security features.

"Here are some ways that Titan M protects your phone," says Xin in a message. "First of all, to protect Android from external tampering, we've integrated Titan M into Verified Boot, our secure boot process.

"Titan M helps the bootloader – the program that validates and charges Android when the phone is turned on – make sure to run the right version of Android. Specifically, Titan M stores the latest known safe Android version and prevents "bad actors" from moving your device to run it in the back on an older, potentially vulnerable, version of Android. Titan M also prevents Android attackers from trying to unlock the bootloader. "

The Titan M is also used by the Pixel 3 to check your access code to the lock screen and limit the number of connection attempts. Once the password is verified, the Titan M allows decryption. Xin's post-message adds that it's harder for an attacker to tamper with the process to find out what he needs to crack your computer. The data.

Another key point: Pixel 3 also uses the chip to protect third-party applications and secure sensitive transactions. Xin explains that wWith Android 9, apps can now enjoy StrongBox KeyStore API to generate and store private keys in Titan M. "The Google Pay team, according to the article," is actively testing these new APIs to secure transactions. " Titan M allows Android 9 Protected Confirmation applications – the first device, according to Google, to come with this protection.

Finally, Google has also designed Titan M with "Insider Attack Resistance", which means that the firmware can not be updated unless you've entered your PIN, which leaves the wrong players trying to bypass the lock screen.

We were certainly intrigued by the first word on the chip, even going so far as to consider it as perhaps even more exciting than the camera processor and maybe not even having a rival of any so on computers. "With Pixel 3, today concludes Xin's message about the phone going on sale in the United States, we have increased our investments in security and incorporated hardware features at the forefront of the industry. in the device. security and privacy are well protected. "

Source of image: Zach Epstein, BGR

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