What Is Hardware-Based Security?
Security capabilities physically built in at the silicon level are defined as being hardware-based. This differs from traditional software-based protections in which security measures are installed on top of hardware, leaving the layers below the operating system (OS) vulnerable to a rising class of attacks.
Hardware-based security protection is not intended to replace software security options but rather complement them. This creates a multilayered and comprehensive security approach that can both detect and prevent a greater range of cyber threats in today’s increasingly complex and dispersed workplace environments.
Why Software-Based Security Is No Longer Enough
Businesses have traditionally relied on security software to protect their assets. But today’s attacks are changing and shifting toward applications and devices below the OS. This means software-based security can be bypassed by an attacker who is sophisticated or skilled enough to find and exploit a vulnerability in firmware or hardware.
For example, an emerging area of vulnerability is the code in device firmware that runs at start-up to prepare the OS launch. Hackers look for ways to inject malware into this code beneath the OS, which by default never required security and integrity checks designed into its sequence. As a result, the OS will trust this code even when it contains a nefarious malware payload.
Hardware-based security capabilities built in at the silicon level can help to create a trusted foundation that better secures data, maintains device integrity, and ensures systems start and operate as intended.
Device Tampering
Device tampering is another malware intrusion below the OS that can be addressed with hardware-based security features. Tampering can occur anywhere in the manufacture-to-delivery process. IT teams can counter device tampering in the following ways:
- Device selection: Look for modern devices that integrate hardware-based security capabilities at the assembly line, via the processor, and offer OS security capabilities right out of the box.
- Device arrival: Determine whether a newly received device has been tampered with by researching if the manufacturer ensures the authenticity of certified device components and takes baseline measurements of firmware code, also known as golden measurements, before the firmware is sealed, prior to transport and delivery.
- Ongoing use: After delivery, hardware-enabled security helps mitigate the risk of device tampering that can occur at any time in the asset’s life cycle. For example, when a device is powered on, select modern processors first verify the software responsible for loading the firmware and operating system. If verification fails, the system will not proceed, preventing the device from running potentially malicious code.
Hardware Security Strategies for Business Environments
The following strategies can help businesses build a comprehensive security plan to protect their IT environment.
Secure All Endpoint Layers
Security threats start at the endpoint, and PC fleet endpoints are prime targets for hackers. The increase in hybrid work models has only made endpoint security more difficult. To better protect all layers of endpoint devices and mitigate the risks of a dispersed fleet, companies should seek out devices with unique hardware-based security features enabled right out of the box, including active monitoring for attacks.
Enhance Virtualization Security with Depth-of-Defense Protections
Another security approach that businesses can implement is virtualization security, in which virtualized containers are used to isolate and verify the integrity of applications, web browsers, and data running inside those environments. Virtualization provides the ability to offer protection through isolation, which creates secure, isolated enclaves for critical tasks like user logins or processing sensitive data, effectively shielding them from malware potentially running elsewhere on the system. Data is protected whether it’s being actively used, stored, or transmitted across networks.
Like software-based security options, virtualization security can benefit from extra layers of protection provided by hardware-enhanced security capabilities. Companies can strengthen protections by looking for devices with technologies and features that provide defense-in-depth virtualization security. For example, hypervisor-based security measures help reduce the likelihood of memory redirection attacks that can compromise virtualized containers and improve DRAM protection with improved multikey encryption.
Improve Visibility below the OS for Better Protection from Malware
Below-the-OS hardware-based security features can also help improve visibility into device foundational layers, such as the firmware and BIOS, so IT staff can verify workloads are running on trustworthy platforms.
Boot-level security features on devices allow IT to enable a hardware-based static root of trust to measure and verify system integrity before the OS starts. BIOS-level access to firmware updates and firmware failure recovery systems helps make devices more secure with resilient updates from day one.
Strengthen the Security of Managed IT Environments
With enhanced manageability capabilities, IT administrators can remotely power systems up to deploy security patching or threat remediation and then power them down when not in use to help conserve energy. They can use an out-of-band keyboard video mouse (KVM) feature to take over the keyboard, monitor, and mouse of off-site endpoints—even unattended systems—to deploy security patches. In addition, a remotely managed IT environment boosts the ability to recover from errors or attacks and prevent denial of service.
Realize the Benefits of Hardware-Based Security with a Hardware Refresh
Upgrading a PC fleet can be a substantial endeavor for businesses, but putting it on hold can be costly—from increased security risks to loss of productivity and unsatisfied employees.
Major advancements in security over the past few years and new hardware-based security requirements for Windows 11 users have made now the best time to refresh business PCs.
Trusted Platform Module for Windows 11 Security
To keep PCs secure and make it harder for hackers to commit cybercrimes, Windows 11 now requires all PCs to use trusted platform module (TPM) 2.0 technology to operate. A TPM is a security chip that is part of a computer’s motherboard or in its processor that helps to keep it secure by offering hardware-level protection against malware and sophisticated cyberattacks.
Using cryptography, TPM securely stores critical information on PCs, such as credentials and encryption keys, that enable platform authentication. Ensuring devices are equipped with TPM 2.0 is imperative for the longevity of business PC fleets, as it will become a standard for future upgrades, and devices without TPM 2.0 will run the risk of outdated security protections.
Many modern PCs come with a TPM capable of running TPM 2.0 preinstalled. However, the computer manufacturer may have turned off the TPM in the firmware, and it may need to be enabled to meet the new requirement.
Meeting and Exceeding the Highest Windows Security Standards
Microsoft recognizes the importance of tightly integrated hardware and software security through its Windows Secured-core PC initiative. These devices represent the gold standard for Windows security, featuring deep integrations designed to protect against sophisticated attacks targeting firmware, identity, and data. IT teams can bolster the security of their PC fleets by selecting devices that qualify as Windows Secured-core PCs, meeting or exceeding Microsoft’s stringent requirements right out of the box.
Hardware Security Considerations in the AI Era
The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) promises transformative business benefits while simultaneously introducing significant pressures for IT staff to keep sensitive and proprietary data and AI models secure. Ensuring the secure and compliant use of AI is a top priority as new, enriched applications proliferate.
NPUs Can Run AI Workloads Locally
AI presents new attack vectors and handles potentially vast amounts of sensitive data, creating complex challenges related to regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). For some organizations, complying with these regulations may require shifting AI processing away from the cloud and onto the endpoint device itself. The advent of the AI PC makes this possible.
AI PCs incorporate specialized hardware, including an integrated neural processing unit (NPU), central processing unit (CPU), and graphics processing unit (GPU), to power AI applications and enable AI use cases. NPUs are specifically designed to run sustained AI tasks locally and efficiently. This means many AI workloads—from intelligent assistants to integrated cybersecurity agents—can operate directly on an end user’s machine.
Performing AI tasks on-device inherently enhances data privacy and simplifies compliance for certain use cases. When sensitive data doesn’t need to leave the endpoint or the confines of a corporate network for cloud-based processing, organizations maintain greater control and help reduce exposure risk and can more easily adhere to data residency and processing requirements stipulated by regulations. The optimized hardware architecture of AI PCs ensures these local AI workloads can run effectively without compromising overall system performance or user experience.
Using Hardware Virtualization to Safeguard Sensitive On-Device Data
While running AI locally addresses data transfer risks, the data residing and being processed on the computer still requires robust protection. This includes confidential information being analyzed by an AI application, AI training datasets that employees working on AI might store locally, or proprietary algorithms. Compliance regulations often mandate strict controls over how sensitive data is accessed and isolated.
To address these security needs, businesses should look for device platforms with hardware-enforced virtualization capabilities that isolate AI workloads, help protect AI data assets, and enforce data/workload segmentation for compliance.
Applying AI for Security
Security operations teams face immense pressure to monitor vast environments, identify subtle anomalies that indicate compromise, and respond rapidly. The sheer volume of data and the evasive nature of modern attacks necessitate a more intelligent approach. This is where AI becomes a critical tool for cybersecurity, helping IT teams stay ahead of threats, automate detections, and accelerate remediation.
The need for intelligent, on-device detection that works in tandem with endpoint detection and response (EDR) software will only grow—empowering users with tools like deepfake identification to help guard against sophisticated phishing attempts or enabling devices like kiosks to autonomously help protect themselves during boot-up.
AI PCs, with integrated hardware optimized for running sustained AI tasks efficiently on the endpoint, unlock a new frontier for AI in security applications, including autonomous malware analysis and classification, advanced anti-phishing and deepfake detections, intelligent data loss prevention (DLP), and enhanced endpoint behavioral monitoring.
Many software security vendors are working with silicon manufacturers to layer advanced controls on top of foundational hardware to address AI-specific attacks. An IT team can further strengthen a business’s overall security posture by refreshing PC fleets with devices with integrated AI-enhanced security protections.
Hardware Security for Future Attacks and Threats
Unfortunately, bad actors aren’t going away anytime soon, and they will continue to try to hack, encrypt, and steal from businesses. Fortunately, organizations can move forward with a full-stack strategy that combines hardware-based security features with software security to better protect their businesses from the most-pressing threats.