Why Windows 11 requires a TPM - and how you can get around it

"The simple answer is that a TPM is a secure cryptoprocessor, a dedicated microcontroller designed to handle security-related tasks and manage encryption keys in a way that minimizes the ability of attackers to break into a system. Windows uses that hardware for a variety of security-related features, including Secure Boot, BitLocker, and Windows Hello. The TPM performs the essential mathematical chores that make it possible to encrypt and decrypt data, generate random numbers, and validate digital signatures."

"But the full answer is, as with anything related to computer security, slightly more complicated. The TPM architecture is defined by an international standard (formally known as ISO/IEC 11889) created by the Trusted Computing Group more than twenty years ago. The standard deals with how different cryptographic operations are implemented, with an emphasis on "integrity protection, isolation and confidentially [sic]." A TPM can be implemented as a discrete chip soldered onto a computer motherboard,"

A TPM is a secure cryptoprocessor — a dedicated microcontroller that performs security-related tasks and manages encryption keys to reduce the risk of system compromise. The TPM performs cryptographic operations such as encryption and decryption, random number generation, and digital signature validation, and provides tamper-resistant storage for certificates, keys, and authentication data. The TPM architecture is standardized by ISO/IEC 11889 and emphasizes integrity protection, isolation, and confidentiality. TPMs can be discrete motherboard chips, implemented in firmware, integrated into CPUs or SoCs by Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm, or provided as Microsoft Pluton processors. Virtual TPMs can be created for virtual machines. Windows 11 requires TPM 2.0 for hardware compatibility and certain security features.

Read at ZDNET