Trusted Platform Module–the secret of Microsoft’s attack on RIM

All Windows Phone 8 handsets will come with Trusted Platform Module (TPM) chips, which will oversee the secure boot process and guarantee the security of the rest of the system.

The integrity of the system can also be evaluated by a remote service before granting it access to resources. This process called Remote Attestation will make a Windows Phone 8 handset the perfect client for connecting to secure systems.

Digital Trends notes  that this system allows Windows Phones to effectively replace the Blackberry Private Secure network, allowing them to connect securely using VPN even over the open Internet.

TPM can also be used for data encryption that can keep organizational data safe in the event a device is lost or stolen.

The combination of features makes Blackberry’s strongest selling point in enterprise entirely redundant, and may be the final nail in RIM’s coffin. While the company’s consumer appeal has rested entirely on BBM, its corporate raison d’etre has always been its security.

Of course the TPM module is likely also be one of the reasons Windows Phone 8 could never come to current generation hardware, but given the benefits going forward I guess this can be forgiven.