Google’s OpenTitan chip brings next-generation security to Chromebooks
Summary
- Google’s OpenTitan security chip is in production and will arrive with new Chromebooks this year.
- OpenTitan is an open-source root of trust that will secure computers and Google cloud infrastructure.
- The open-source nature of OpenTitan allows experts to verify the design, improving trust in computing.
Chromebooks are about to get a lot more secure. Google has begun production of OpenTitan, the first commercially available open-source security chip designed to provide transparency and trust in hardware security.
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The OpenTitan chip was developed in collaboration with Nuvoton, alongside the open source community. It serves as a root of trust (RoT), ensuring that devices start from a verified and secure state. The chip is set to secure future
Chromebooks
and Google Cloud infrastructure.
What is OpenTitan, and why does it matter?
This is a major shift in security hardware. Almost all security chips are proprietary. They operate as block boxes with limited transparency. But OpenTitan’s open-source nature allows experts to inspect and verify its design. This is a giant step forward in improving trust in modern computing.
OpenTitan has been in development since 2018 as a collaboration between Google and a coalition of academics and commercial partners. The project was hosted by lowRISC in Cambridge, UK. The guiding philosophy of the project is that open and transparent security hardware is more secure than proprietary hardware, which could have hidden vulnerabilities or backdoors.
Traditional security chips, like Google’s Titan M (found in Tensor-powered Pixel devices) or security keys used for authentication, like Google’s Titan security key, have relied on proprietary designs. But every part of OpenTitan is available for scrutiny by researchers and security experts. This will help verify its integrity.
Here’s how OpenTitan could work in a Chromebook
OpenTitan can handle a variety of security functions. Future Chromebooks that have the OpenTitan chip in them could work like this:
- Secure boot: The chip will ensure that Chromebooks start up using only verified software.
- Data protection: The chip will strengthen encryption and authentication methods.
- Cloud security: It will help Google safeguard data stored in its cloud at the hardware level.
Google says OpenTitan is already integrated into new
Chromebooks
that are expected to launch later this year. Google’s cloud infrastructure will follow. Hopefully, OpenTitan will pave the way for more companies to adopt transparency, and stop being so secretive all the time.
