Product category:
Design and Development Software
News Release from: ARM | Subject: TrustZone software API
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 09 September 2005
API protects secure software investments
A new application programming interface enables software and hardware developers to write single applications which can be used to target multiple security platforms.
ARM has developed a new application programming interface (API) for its TrustZone software technology Available now from ARM at no cost, this new API enables software and hardware developers to write single applications which can be used to target multiple security platforms present in a range of devices such as mobile phones, portable media players, set-top boxes and home gateways
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 8 Nov 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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Currently, security-aware applications must be rewritten for every security platform they run on, fragmenting the market and inhibiting a rich ecosystem of applications and services.
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The new TrustZone software API provides a standard interface for these applications to be partitioned and to communicate with a secure-side component independent of the actual system implementation.
These secure applications can now target multiple security platforms and speed development time without a security penalty.
The TrustZone software API was developed with Trusted Logic, whose expertise and years of research in this field contributed to generate an initial specification that is flexible, ready to evolve and in parts already proven in market segments where security has been paramount for many years.
ARM TrustZone technology is targeted specifically at securing a range of embedded and consumer products, including those running operating systems such as Linux, Symbian, Microsoft Windows CE and Microsoft Windows Mobile.
TrustZone technology tags and partitions secure data within a system and maintains a clear hardware separation between secure and nonsecure information.
This separation enables secure code and data to run alongside an operating system without being compromised or vulnerable to attack.
The technology includes the TrustZone architecture extensions and the TrustZone software solution, which implements the open TrustZone software API.
"Operators and handset developers are increasingly motivated to create even more advanced features for mobile phones, such as one that would enable a phone to double as a credit card or a digital TV player, but they have to ensure that users and devices are adequately protected from external threats".
"Low costs and a rich ecosystem of services and applications is also high in the industry agenda", said Tiago Alves, TrustZone Product Manager, ARM.
"ARM technology is at the heart of millions of secure, advanced digital products".
"With the broad availability of the TrustZone software API, device developers can realise the full potential of the common TrustZone technology, which has already been demonstrated by the adoption and public endorsement of the technology from leading industry players from all parts of the value chain".
The TrustZone Software API can be downloaded from the ARM website.
TrustZone software is available now for licensing from ARM and the ARM TrustZone architecture extensions are implemented in the ARM1176JZ(F)-S processor.
These extensions are an integral part of the ARM roadmap for application CPUs.
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