TPM 2.0 will be required on all devices running this version

May 16, 2016 09:52 GMT  ·  By

One of the reasons Microsoft pushes everyone to adopt Windows 10 is the security improvements that the company implemented into this OS version, and it turns out that work in this regard has not yet been completed.

The upcoming Anniversary Update (also known by Microsoft enthusiasts as Redstone) will require all devices to come with Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 enabled by default.

TPM version 1.0 is already being supported in Windows 10, but by advancing the minimum requirement to 2.0, Microsoft hopes to achieve improved security that would help devices running the latest version of the OS to stay protected against the latest type of threats.

Many Windows 10 features relying on TPM

TPM is essentially a security system implemented at the hardware level that uses a specifically designed chip for cryptographic features. The microprocessor’s main role is to work with cryptographic keys that are stored onto devices. Version 2.0 comes with significant updates and supports several new authentication modes, new algorithms, including SHA-1, SHA-256, RSA and Elliptic curve cryptography P256, as well as multiple root keys.

There are several Windows 10 features that already require TPM, among which BitLocker, Virtual Smart Card, Credential Guard, Measured Boot, and Device Health Attestation, so by upgrading the minimum requiring to version 2.0, all of these would benefit from a major security boost too.

And starting with the Redstone update, all devices running any Windows 10 SKU will have to support TPM 2.0 enabled by default. This means that PCs, tablets, and smartphones that can run Windows 10 or Windows 10 Mobile should have this feature, as Microsoft considers it “a critical component to Windows 10 features that delivers on our security promise to customers.”

The Anniversary Update is scheduled to launch in the summer, and by the looks of it, the release could take place in July at about the same time Microsoft ends the free upgrade promo for Windows 10.