Major players get behind desktop security

NEWS The Trusted Computing Platform Alliance (TCPA) was formed in 1999 to help companies collaborate on security between hardware, applications and operating systems. The TCPA specification defines a trusted 'subsystem' on any computer where processes cannot be altered. According to the consortium, any transaction taking place in this subsystem will be monitored to ensure complete integrity. The system includes protected storage, digital signature and PKI (public key infrastructure) technology. The TCPA has adopted IBM's 256-bit security chips as a standard base for the platform.