Google Servers all Contain Custom Security Silicon

FrgMstr

FrgMstr

Just Plain Mean
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I came across a very interesting article over The Register that attempts to digest and summarize this document recently released by Google.

Revealed last Friday, the document outlines six layers of security and reveals some interesting factoids about the Alphabet subsidiary's operations, none more so than the disclosure that: "We also design custom chips, including a hardware security chip that is currently being deployed on both servers and peripherals. These chips allow us to securely identify and authenticate legitimate Google devices at the hardware level."
 
Im a noob on this stuff but it reminds me of hardware security on some of the newer console systems? Something like that? Something embedded thats harder to manipulate inband?
 
piscian18 said:
Im a noob on this stuff but it reminds me of hardware security on some of the newer console systems? Something like that? Something embedded thats harder to manipulate inband?
Click to expand...
Yes, though not as much nowadays. Nowadays, consoles have most of their security/encryption functions directly inside the IC designs. External chips, like this Google arrangement, are predicated on not allowing physical access to the devices.
 
Hasn't this been known for a while? Pretty sure I heard about this at least a couple years ago.
 
This shouldn't surprise anyone. Google has created a bunch of proprietary hardware for their datacenters.
 
I guess that is one way to lockdown allegedly 'open source' android.
 
pcb are basically layers of dielectric material and traces or paths of conductive material. If you use custom chips they need their own sockets to have the sockets traces match the traces on the boards that go between the logic chips on both attached hardware and integrated circuit units of what people think of electrical circuits soldered to the board or in some cases welded in place (think of it as hot glued between the non conductive parts or welded with liquid metal between the conductive parts).

So google is likely running circuits made to spec and off the shelf hardware.
 
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