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Tamper-resistant security module

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A Tamper-Resistant Security Module is a device that incorporates physical protections to prevent compromise of Cryptographic Security Parameters (CSP) therein contained.

There are varying levels of protection afforded by TRSMs:

  1. Tamper-resistance: make intrusion difficult, usually by employing hardened casing
  2. Tamper-evident: make intrusion attempts evident to subsequent viewers, often by employing seals which must be broken during intrusion
  3. Tamper-responsive: detect the intrusion attempt and destroy the contents in the process

A TRSM is usually also a Hardware security module (HSM).