ISO/IEC 11889-3:2009

Information technology — Trusted Platform Module — Part 3: Structures

ISO/IEC 11889 defines the Trusted Platform Module (TPM), a device that enables trust in computing platforms in general. ISO/IEC 11889-3:2009 defines the structures and constants that enable the interoperability between TPM implementations.

Technologies de l'information — Module de plate-forme de confiance — Partie 3: Structures

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 17-May-2009
• Withdrawal Date: 17-May-2009
• ICS: 35.030 - IT Security
• ICS: 35.040 - Information coding
• Technical Committee: ISO/IEC JTC 1 - Information technology
• Drafting Committee: ISO/IEC JTC 1 - Information technology
• Current Stage: 9093 - International Standard confirmed
• Start Date: 14-Feb-2017
• Completion Date: 12-Feb-2026

Relations

• Revised: ISO/IEC 11889-3:2015 - Information technology — Trusted Platform Module Library — Part 3: Commands
• Effective Date: 10-May-2014

Overview

ISO/IEC 11889-3:2009 - "Information technology - Trusted Platform Module - Part 3: Structures" defines the data structures and constants used by the Trusted Platform Module (TPM). This part of the ISO/IEC 11889 family focuses on the binary formats, type definitions, tags and layout rules that enable TPM interoperability across hardware and software implementations. It establishes how TPM data must be represented so cryptographic and attestation operations preserve required security properties (confidentiality and integrity).

Key Topics

The standard provides precise definitions and constraints for TPM structures, including:

• Representation rules: endianness, byte packing, length fields and structure definitions.
• Basic types and tags: fundamental data types, Boolean types, helper redefinitions and vendor-specific ranges.
• Type enumerations and handles: algorithm IDs, resource/entity types, protocol IDs, startup types and reserved handle values.
• Core structures: versioning (TPM_STRUCT_VER, TPM_VERSION), digests, nonces, authdata and key handle lists.
• PCR and attestation: PCR selection/composite formats and PCR info structures used for platform integrity measurements.
• Key and storage formats: TPM_KEY complex, key parameters (RSA, symmetric), sealed and bound data structures.
• Identity and signed structures: endorsement key blobs, identity contents, certify/quote formats.
• NV storage and context blobs: non-volatile index formats, attributes and context save/restore structures.
• Transport, audit and delegate structures: transport wrappers, audit event formats and delegation tables.
• Management and capability areas: return codes, ordinals, capability areas and DAA (Direct Anonymous Attestation) structures.
• Deprecated items and normative language: clear use of MUST/SHOULD language and references to platform-specific requirements.

Applications

ISO/IEC 11889-3:2009 is practical for anyone implementing or integrating TPM functionality:

• TPM hardware and firmware designers - ensure the device produces/consumes canonical structures.
• TPM middleware and library developers - parse, serialize and validate TPM objects for OS and applications.
• OS vendors and hypervisors - implement attestation, secure storage and measured boot using correct formats.
• Security architects and integrators - validate interoperability and cryptographic assurances across platforms.
• Auditors and compliance teams - verify that TPM data handling meets standardized structure requirements.

Related Standards

• ISO/IEC 11889-1: Overview
• ISO/IEC 11889-2: Design principles
• ISO/IEC 11889-4: Commands
• Trusted Computing Group (TCG) TPM specification (corresponding TCG parts)

Keywords: ISO/IEC 11889-3:2009, Trusted Platform Module, TPM structures, TPM data structures, TPM interoperability, TPM specification, PCR, TPM keys, NV storage.

Standards Content (Sample)

INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC
STANDARD 11889-3
First edition
2009-05-15
Information technology — Trusted
Platform Module —
Part 3:
Structures
Technologies de l'information — Module de plate-forme de confiance —
Partie 3: Structures
Reference number
©
ISO/IEC 2009
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©  ISO/IEC 2009
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electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from either ISO at the address below or
ISO's member body in the country of the requester.
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Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved

Table of Contents
1. Scope 1
1.1 Key words 1
1.2 Statement Type 1
2. Normative references 2
3. Abbreviated Terms 3
4. Structures and Formats 5
4.1 Representation of Information 5
4.1.1 Endness of Structures 5
4.1.2 Byte Packing 5
4.1.3 Lengths 5
4.1.4 Structure Definitions 5
4.2 Defines 6
4.2.1 Basic data types 6
4.2.2 Boolean types 6
4.2.3 Helper redefinitions 6
4.2.4 Vendor specific 8
5. Structure Tags 9
5.1 TPM_STRUCTURE_TAG 10
6. Types 12
6.1 TPM_RESOURCE_TYPE 12
6.2 TPM_PAYLOAD_TYPE 13
6.3 TPM_ENTITY_TYPE 14
6.4 Handles 15
6.4.1 Reserved Key Handles 16
6.5 TPM_STARTUP_TYPE 17
6.6 TPM_STARTUP_EFFECTS 18
6.7 TPM_PROTOCOL_ID 19
6.8 TPM_ALGORITHM_ID 20
6.9 TPM_PHYSICAL_PRESENCE 21
6.10 TPM_MIGRATE_SCHEME 22
6.11 TPM_EK_TYPE 23
6.12 TPM_PLATFORM_SPECIFIC 24
7. Basic Structures 25
7.1 TPM_STRUCT_VER 25
7.2 TPM_VERSION_BYTE 26
7.3 TPM_VERSION 27
7.4 TPM_DIGEST 28
© ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved iii

7.4.1 Creating a PCR composite hash 29
7.5 TPM_NONCE 30
7.5.1 TPM_PROOF 31
7.6 TPM_AUTHDATA 32
7.7 TPM_KEY_HANDLE_LIST 33
7.8 TPM_KEY_USAGE values 34
7.8.1 Mandatory Key Usage Schemes 34
7.9 TPM_AUTH_DATA_USAGE values 36
7.10 TPM_KEY_FLAGS 37
7.11 TPM_CHANGEAUTH_VALIDATE 38
7.12 TPM_MIGRATIONKEYAUTH 39
7.13 TPM_COUNTER_VALUE 40
7.14 TPM_SIGN_INFO Structure 41
7.15 TPM_MSA_COMPOSITE 42
7.16 TPM_CMK_AUTH 43
7.17 TPM_CMK_DELEGATE values 44
7.18 TPM_SELECT_SIZE 45
7.19 TPM_CMK_MIGAUTH 46
7.20 TPM_CMK_SIGTICKET 47
7.21 TPM_CMK_MA_APPROVAL 48
8. TPM_TAG (Command and Response Tags) 49
9. Internal Data Held By TPM 50
9.1 TPM_PERMANENT_FLAGS 51
9.1.1 Flag Restrictions 55
9.2 TPM_STCLEAR_FLAGS 56
9.2.1 Flag Restrictions 58
9.3 TPM_STANY_FLAGS 59
9.3.1 Flag Restrictions 60
9.4 TPM_PERMANENT_DATA 61
9.4.1 Flag Restrictions 64
9.5 TPM_STCLEAR_DATA 65
Flag Restrictions 66
Deferred Physical Presence Bit Map 66
9.6 TPM_STANY_DATA 67
9.6.1 Flag Restrictions 68
10. PCR Structures 69
10.1 TPM_PCR_SELECTION 70
10.2 TPM_PCR_COMPOSITE 72
10.3 TPM_PCR_INFO 73
10.4 TPM_PCR_INFO_LONG 74
iv © ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved

10.5 TPM_PCR_INFO_SHORT 75
10.6 TPM_LOCALITY_SELECTION 76
10.7 PCR Attributes 77
10.8 TPM_PCR_ATTRIBUTES 78
10.8.1 Comparing command locality to PCR flags 79
10.9 Debug PCR register 80
10.10 Mapping PCR Structures 81
11. Storage Structures 83
11.1 TPM_STORED_DATA 83
11.2 TPM_STORED_DATA12 84
11.3 TPM_SEALED_DATA 85
11.4 TPM_SYMMETRIC_KEY 86
11.5 TPM_BOUND_DATA 87
12. TPM_KEY complex 88
12.1 TPM_KEY_PARMS 89
12.1.1 TPM_RSA_KEY_PARMS 90
12.1.2 TPM_SYMMETRIC_KEY_PARMS 90
12.2 TPM_KEY 91
12.3 TPM_KEY12 92
12.4 TPM_STORE_PUBKEY 93
12.5 TPM_PUBKEY 94
12.6 TPM_STORE_ASYMKEY 95
12.7 TPM_STORE_PRIVKEY 96
12.8 TPM_MIGRATE_ASYMKEY 97
12.9 TPM_KEY_CONTROL 98
13. Signed Structures 99
13.1 TPM_CERTIFY_INFO Structure 99
13.2 TPM_CERTIFY_INFO2 Structure 100
13.3 TPM_QUOTE_INFO Structure 101
13.4 TPM_QUOTE_INFO2 Structure 102
14. Identity Structures 103
14.1 TPM_EK_BLOB 103
14.2 TPM_EK_BLOB_ACTIVATE 104
14.3 TPM_EK_BLOB_AUTH 105
14.4 TPM_CHOSENID_HASH 106
14.5 TPM_IDENTITY_CONTENTS 107
14.6 TPM_IDENTITY_REQ 108
14.7 TPM_IDENTITY_PROOF 109
14.8 TPM_ASYM_CA_CONTENTS 110
14.9 TPM_SYM_CA_ATTESTATION 111
© ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved v

15. Transport structures 112
15.1 TPM _TRANSPORT_PUBLIC 112
15.1.1 TPM_TRANSPORT_ATTRIBUTES Definitions 112
15.2 TPM_TRANSPORT_INTERNAL 113
15.3 TPM_TRANSPORT_LOG_IN structure 114
15.4 TPM_TRANSPORT_LOG_OUT structure 115
15.5 TPM_TRANSPORT_AUTH structure 116
16. Audit Structures 117
16.1 TPM_AUDIT_EVENT_IN structure 117
16.2 TPM_AUDIT_EVENT_OUT structure 118
17. Tick Structures 119
17.1 TPM_CURRENT_TICKS 119
18. Return codes 120
19. Ordinals 125
19.1 TSC Ordinals 133
20. Context structures 134
20.1 TPM_CONTEXT_BLOB 134
20.2 TPM_CONTEXT_SENSITIVE 136
21. NV storage structures 137
21.1 TPM_NV_INDEX 137
21.1.1 Required TPM_NV_INDEX values 138
21.1.2 Reserved Index values 139
21.2 TPM_NV_ATTRIBUTES 140
21.3 TPM_NV_DATA_PUBLIC 142
21.4 TPM_NV_DATA_SENSITIVE 143
21.5 Max NV Size 144
21.6 TPM_NV_DATA_AREA 145
22. Delegate Structures 146
22.1 Structures and encryption 146
22.2 Delegate Definitions 147
22.2.1 Owner Permission Settings 148
22.2.2 Owner commands not delegated 149
22.2.3 Key Permission settings 150
22.2.4 Key commands not delegated 151
22.3 TPM_FAMILY_FLAGS 152
22.4 TPM_FAMILY_LABEL 153
22.5 TPM_FAMILY_TABLE_ENTRY 154
22.6 TPM_FAMILY_TABLE 155
22.7 TPM_DELEGATE_LABEL 156
22.8 TPM_DELEGATE_PUBLIC 157
vi © ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved

22.9 TPM_DELEGATE_TABLE_ROW 158
22.10 TPM_DELEGATE_TABLE 159
22.11 TPM_DELEGATE_SENSITIVE 160
22.12 TPM_DELEGATE_OWNER_BLOB 161
22.13 TPM_DELEGATE_KEY_BLOB 162
22.14 TPM_FAMILY_OPERATION Values 163
23. Capability areas 164
23.1 TPM_CAPABILITY_AREA for TPM_GetCapability 164
23.2 CAP_PROPERTY SubCap values for TPM_GetCapability 167
23.3 Bit ordering for structures 169
23.3.1 Deprecated GetCapability Responses 169
23.4 TPM_CAPABILITY_AREA Values for TPM_SetCapability 170
23.5 SubCap Values for TPM_SetCapability 171
23.6 TPM_CAP_VERSION_INFO 172
23.7 TPM_DA_INFO 173
23.8 TPM_DA_INFO_LIMITED 174
23.9 TPM_DA_STATE 175
23.10 TPM_DA_ACTION_TYPE 176
24. DAA Structures 177
24.1 Size definitions 177
24.2 Constant definitions 177
24.3 TPM_DAA_ISSUER 178
24.4 TPM_DAA_TPM 179
24.5 TPM_DAA_CONTEXT 180
24.6 TPM_DAA_JOINDATA 181
24.7 TPM_STANY_DATA Additions 182
24.8 TPM_DAA_BLOB 183
24.9 TPM_DAA_SENSITIVE 184
25. Redirection 185
25.1 TPM_REDIR_COMMAND 185
26. Deprecated Structures 186
26.1 Persistent Flags 186
26.2 Volatile Flags 186
26.3 TPM persistent data 186
26.4 TPM volatile data 186
26.5 TPM SV data 187
26.6 TPM_SYM_MODE 187
27. Bibliography 188
© ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved vii

List of Tables
Table 1: Basic data type parameters 6
Table 2: Boolean types 6
Table 3: Helper redefinition parameters 6
Table 4: Vendor specific parameters 8
Table 5: TPM_StructureTag 10
Table 6: TPM_ResourceTypes 12
Table 7: TPM_PAYLOAD_TYPE values 13
Table 8: TPM_ENTITY_TYPE LSB Values 14
Table 9: TPM_ENTITY_TYPE MSB Values 14
Table 10: Key Handle Values 16
Table 11: TPM_STARTUP_TYPE Values 17
Table 12: Types of Startup 18
Table 13: TPM_PROTOCOL_ID Values 19
Table 14: TPM_ALGORITHM_ID values 20
Table 15: TPM_PHYSICAL_PRESENCE parameters 21
Table 16: TPM_MIGRATE_SCHEME values 22
Table 17: TPM_EK_TYPE parameters 23
Table 18: TPM_PLATFORM_SPECIFIC parameters 24
Table 19: TPM_STRUCT_VER parameters 25
Table 20: TPM_VERSION_BYTE rule 26
Table 21: TPM_VERSION parameters 27
Table 22: TPM_DIGEST parameters 28
Table 23: TPM_DIGEST redefinitions 28
Table 24: TPM_NONCE parameters 30
Table 25: TPM_NONCE redefinitons 30
Table 24: TPM_PROOF parameters 31
Table 26: TPM_AUTHDATA redefinitions 32
Table 27: TPM_KEY_HANDLE_LIST parameters 33
Table 28: TPM_KEY_USAGE values 34
Table 29: Mandatory Key Usage Schemes 35
Table 30: Valid encryption schemes 35
Table 31: Valid signature schemes 35
Table 32: Combinations of TPM_AUTH_DATA_USAGE values 36
Table 33: TPM_AUTH_DATA_USAGE values 36
Table 34: TPM_KEY_FLAGS Values 37
Table 35: TPM_CHANGEAUTH_VALIDATE parameters 38
Table 36: TPM_MIGRATIONKEYAUTH parameters 39
Table 37: TPM_COUNTER_VALUE parameters 40
viii © ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved

Table 38: TPM_SIGN_INFO Structure parameters 41
Table 39: TPM_MSA_COMPOSITE parameters 42
Table 40: TPM_CMK_AUTH parameters 43
Table 41: TPM_CMK_DELEGATE values 44
Table 42: TPM_SELECT_SIZE parameters 45
Table 43: TPM_CMK_MIGAUTH parameters 46
Table 44: TPM_CMK_SIGTICKET parameters 47
Table 45: TPM_CMK_MA_APPROVALparameters 48
Table 46: TPM_TAG (Command and Response Tags) 49
Table 47: TPM_PERMANENT_FLAGS parameters 51
Table 48: TPM_PERMANENT_FLAGS restrictions 55
Table 49: TPM_STCLEAR_FLAGS parameters 56
Table 50: TPM_STCLEAR_FLAGS restrictions 58
Table 51: TPM_STANY_FLAGS parameters 59
Table 52: TPM_STANY_FLAGS restrictions 60
Table 53: TPM_PERMANENT_DATA parameters 62
Table 54: Flag Restrictions 64
Table 55: TPM_STCLEAR_DATA parameters 65
Table 56: Flag Restrictions 66
Table 57: Deferred Physical Presence Bit Map 66
Table 58: TPM_STANY_DATA parameters 67
Table 59: Flag Restrictions 68
Table 60: TPM_PCR_SELECTION parameters 71
Table 61: TPM_PCR_COMPOSITE parameters 72
Table 62: TPM_PCR_INFO parameters 73
Table 63: TPM_PCR_INFO_LONG parameters 74
Table 64: TPM_PCR_INFO_SHORT parameters 75
Table 65: TPM_LOCALITY_SELECTION definitions 76
Table 66: TPM_PCR_ATTRIBUTES - types of persistent data 78
Table 67: TPM_STORED_DATA parameters 83
Table 68: TPM_STORED_DATA12 parameters 84
Table 69: TPM_SEALED_DATA parameters 85
Table 70: TPM_SYMMETRIC_KEY parameters 86
Table 71: TPM_BOUND_DATA parameters 87
Table 72: TPM_KEY_PARMS parameters 89
Table 73: TPM_KEY_PARMS descriptions 89
Table 74: TPM_RSA_KEY_PARMS parameters 90
Table 75: TPM_SYMMETRIC_KEY_PARMS parameters 90
Table 76: TPM_KEY parameters 91
Table 77: TPM_KEY12 parameters 92
© ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved ix

Table 78: TPM_STORE_PUBKEY parameters 93
Table 79: TPM_STORE_PUBKEY algorithm 93
Table 80: TPM_PUBKEY parameters 94
Table 81: TPM_STORE_ASYMKEY parameters 95
Table 82: TPM_STORE_PRIVKEY parameters 96
Table 83: TPM_STORE_PRIVKEY algorithm 96
Table 84: TPM_MIGRATE_ASYMKEY parameters 97
Table 85: TPM_KEY_CONTROL parameters 98
Table 86: TPM_CERTIFY_INFO Structure parameters 99
Table 87: TPM_CERTIFY_INFO2 Structure parameters 100
Table 88: TPM_QUOTE_INFO Structure parameters 101
Table 89: TPM_QUOTE_INFO2 Structure parameters 102
Table 90: TPM_EK_BLOB parameters 103
Table 91: TPM_EK_BLOB_ACTIVATE parameters 104
Table 92: TPM_EK_BLOB_AUTH parameters 105
Table 93: TPM_CHOSENID_HASH parameters 106
Table 94: TPM_IDENTITY_CONTENTS parameters 107
Table 95: TPM_IDENTITY_REQ parameters 108
Table 96: TPM_IDENTITY_PROOF parameters 109
Table 97: TPM_ASYM_CA_CONTENTS parameters 110
Table 98: TPM_SYM_CA_ATTESTATION parameters 111
Table 99: TPM _TRANSPORT_PUBLIC parameters 112
Table 100: TPM_TRANSPORT_ATTRIBUTES Definitions 112
Table 101: TPM_TRANSPORT_INTERNAL parameters 113
Table 102: TPM_TRANSPORT_LOG_IN structure parameters 114
Table 103: TPM_TRANSPORT_LOG_OUT structure parameters 115
Table 104: TPM_TRANSPORT_AUTH structure parameters 116
Table 105: TPM_AUDIT_EVENT_IN structure parameters 117
Table 106: TPM_AUDIT_EVENT_OUT structure parameters 118
Table 107: TPM_CURRENT_TICKS parameters 119
Table 108: Mask Parameters 121
Table 109: TPM-defined fatal error codes 122
Table 110: TPM-defined non-fatal errors 124
Table 111: Ordinal masks 125
Table 112: Ordinal purviews 126
Table 113: Ordinal combinations 126
Table 114: Column descriptions 126
Table 115: Ordinal table 127
Table 116: TSC Ordinals 133
Table 117: TPM_CONTEXT_BLOB parameters 135
x © ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved

Table 118: TPM_CONTEXT_SENSITIVE parameters 136
Table 119: Required TPM_NV_INDEX values 138
Table 120: Reserved Index values 139
Table 121: TPM_NV_ATTRIBUTES parameters 140
Table 122: TPM_NV_ATTRIBUTES attribute values 141
Table 123: TPM_NV_DATA_PUBLIC parameters 142
Table 124: TPM_NV_DATA_SENSITIVE parameters 143
Table 125: Delegate Definitions parameters 147
Table 126: Owner Permission Settings - Per1 bits 148
Table 127: Owner Permission Settings - Per2 bits 149
Table 128: Owner commands not delegated 149
Table 129: Key Permission settings - Per1 bits 150
Table 130: Key Permission settings - Per2 bits 151
Table 131: Key commands not delegated 151
Table 132: TPM_FAMILY_FLAGS bit settings 152
Table 133: TPM_FAMILY_LABEL parameters 153
Table 134: TPM_FAMILY_TABLE_ENTRY parameters 154
Table 135: TPM_FAMILY_TABLE parameters 155
Table 136: TPM_DELEGATE_LABEL parameters 156
Table 137: TPM_DELEGATE_PUBLIC parameters 157
Table 138: TPM_DELEGATE_TABLE_ROW 158
Table 139: TPM_DELEGATE_TABLE parameters 159
Table 140: TPM_DELEGATE_SENSITIVE parameters 160
Table 141: TPM_DELEGATE_OWNER_BLOB parameters 161
Table 142: TPM_DELEGATE_KEY_BLOB parameters 162
Table 143: TPM_FAMILY_OPERATION Values 163
Table 144: TPM_CAPABILITY_AREA Values for TPM_GetCapability 165
Table 145: TPM_CAP_PROPERTY SubCap Values for TPM_GetCapability 167
Table 146: Deprecated GetCapability Responses 169
Table 147: TPM_CAPABILITY_AREA Values for TPM_SetCapability 170
Table 148: TPM_CAP_VERSION_INFO parameters 172
Table 149: TPM_CAP_VERSION_INFO example output 172
Table 150: TPM_DA_INFO parameters 173
Table 151: TPM_DA_INFO_LIMITED parameters 174
Table 152: TPM_DA_STATE Values 175
Table 153: TPM_DA_ACTION_TYPE parameters 176
Table 154: TPM_DA_ACTION_TYPE action values 176
Table 155: TPM_DAA_ISSUER parameters 178
Table 156: TPM_DAA_TPM parameters 179
Table 157: TPM_DAA_CONTEXT parameters 180
© ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved xi

Table 158: TPM_DAA_JOINDATA parameters 181
Table 159: TPM_STANY_DATA Additions: types of volatile data 182
Table 160: TPM_DAA_BLOB parameters 183
Table 161: TPM_DAA_SENSITIVE parameters 184
Table 162: TPM_REDIR_COMMAND 185
Table 163. TPM_SYM_MODE values 187

xii © ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are members of
ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical committees
established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical activity. ISO and IEC
technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international organizations, governmental
and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the work. In the field of information
technology, ISO and IEC have established a joint technical committee, ISO/IEC JTC 1.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of the joint technical committee is to prepare International Standards. Draft International
Standards adopted by the joint technical committee are circulated to national bodies for voting. Publication as
an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the national bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO/IEC 11889-3 was prepared by the Trusted Computing Group (TCG) and was adopted, under the PAS
procedure, by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology, in parallel with its approval
by national bodies of ISO and IEC.
ISO/IEC 11889 consists of the following parts, under the general title Information technology — Trusted
Platform Module:
⎯ Part 1: Overview
⎯ Part 2: Design principles
⎯ Part 3: Structures
⎯ Part 4: Commands
© ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved xiii

Introduction
Figure 1. TPM Main Specification Roadmap
Start of informative comment
ISO/IEC 11889 is from the Trusted Computing Group (TCG) Trusted Platform Module (TPM)
specification 1.2 version 103. The part numbers for ISO/IEC 11889 and the TCG specification do
not match. The reason is the inclusion of the Overview document that is not a member of the TCG
part numbering. The mapping between the two is as follows:
ISO Reference  TCG Reference
Part 1 Overview  Not published
Part 2 Design Principles Part 1 Design Principles
Part 3 Structures  Part 2 Structures
Part 4 Commands  Part 3 Commands
End of informative comment
xiv © ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/IEC 11889-3:2009(E)

Information technology — Trusted Platform Module —
Part 3:
Structures
1. Scope
ISO/IEC 11889 defines the Trusted Platform Module (TPM), a device that enables trust in
computing platforms in general. ISO/IEC 11889 is broken into parts to make the role of each
document clear. Any version of the standard requires all parts to be a complete standard.
A TPM designer MUST be aware that for a complete definition of all requirements necessary to
build a TPM, the designer MUST use the appropriate platform specific specification to understand
all of the TPM requirements.
Part 3 defines the structures and constants in use by the TPM. As the TPM must interoperate
between various implementations, these structures enable the required interoperability. The other
rationale for defining the structures is that some of the structures require security properties, either
confidentiality or integrity calculations. If the structures are built incorrectly the security properties
may not be present, hence the need to define the structures.
1.1 Key words
The key words “MUST,” “MUST NOT,” “REQUIRED,” “SHALL,” “SHALL NOT,” “SHOULD,”
“SHOULD NOT,” “RECOMMENDED,” “MAY,” and “OPTIONAL” in this document’s normative
statements are to be interpreted as described in RFC-2119, Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
Requirement Levels.
1.2 Statement Type
Please note a very important distinction between different sections of text throughout this document.
You will encounter two distinctive kinds of text: informative comment and normative statements.
Because most of the text in this specification will be of the kind normative statements, the authors
have informally defined it as the default and, as such, have specifically called out text of the kind
informative comment. They have done this by flagging the beginning and end of each informative
comment and highlighting its text in gray. This means that unless text is specifically marked as of
the kind informative comment, you can consider it of the kind normative statements.
For example:
Start of informative comment
This is the first paragraph of 1–n paragraphs containing text of the kind informative comment .
This is the second paragraph of text of the kind informative comment .
This is the nth paragraph of text of the kind informative comment .
To understand the standard the user must read the standard. (This use of MUST does not require
any action).
End of informative comment
This is the first paragraph of one or more paragraphs (and/or sections) containing the text of the
kind normative statements .
To understand the standard the user MUST read the standard. (This use of MUST indicates a
keyword usage and requires an action).
© ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved 1

2. Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For
dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the
referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO/IEC 8825-1⎪ITU-T X.690: Information technology – ASN.1 encoding rules: Specification
of Basic Encoding Rules (BER), Canonical Encoding Rules (CER) and Distinguished
Encoding Rules (DER)
ISO/IEC 10118-3, Information technology — Security techniques — Hash-functions —
Part 3: Dedicated hash-functions, Clause 9, SHA-1
ISO/IEC 18033-3, Information technology — Security techniques — Encryption algorithms —
Part 3, Block ciphers, Clause 5.1 AES
IEEE P1363, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers: Standard Specifications For
Public-Key Cryptography
IETF RFC 2104, Internet Engineering Task Force Request for Comments 2104: HMAC:
Keyed-Hashing for Message Authentication
IETF RFC 2119, Internet Engineering Task Force Request for Comments 2119: Key words
for use in RFCs to Indicate Requirement Levels
PKCS #1 Version 2.1, RSA Cryptography Standard. This document is superseded by
P1363, except for section 7.2 that defines the V1.5 RSA signature scheme in use by the
TPM.
2 © ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved

3. Abbreviated Terms
Abbreviation Description
AACP Asymmetric Authorization Change Protocol
ADCP Authorization Data Change Protocol
ADIP Authorization Data Insertion Protocol
AIK Attestation Identity Key
AMC Audit Monotonic Counter
APIP Time-Phased Implementation Plan
AuthData Authentication Data or Authorization Data, depending on the context
BCD Binary Coded Decimal
BIOS Basic Input/Output System
CA Certification of Authority
CDI Controlled Data Item
CMK Cerifiable/Certified Migratable Keys
CRT Chinese Remainder Theorem
CRTM Core Root of Trust Measurement
CTR Counter-mode encryption
DAA Direct Autonomous Attestation
DIR Data Integrity Register
DOS Disk Operating System
DSA Digital Signature Algorithm
DSAP Delegate-Specific Authorization Protocol
ECB Electronic Codebook Mode
EK Endorsement Key
ET ExecuteTransport or Entity Type
FIPS Federal Information Processing Standard
GPIO General Purpose I/O
HMAC Hash Message Authentication Code
HW Hardware Interface
IB Internal Base
I/O Input/Output
IV Initialization Vector
KH Key Handle
LEAP Lightweight Extensible Authentication Protocol for wireless computer networks
LK Loaded Key
LOM Limited Operation Mode
LPC Low Pin Count
LSB Least Significant Byte
MA Migration Authority/Authorization
MIDL Microsoft Interface Definition Language
MSA Migration Selection Authority
MSB Most Significant Byte
NV Non-volatile
© ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved 3

Abbreviation Description
NVRAM Non-Volatile Random Access Memory
OAEP Optimal Asymmetric Encryption Padding
OEM Original Equipment Manufacturer
OIAP Object-Independent Authorization Protocol
OID Object Identifier
OSAP Object-Specific Authorization Protocol
PCR Platform Configuration Register
PI Personal Information
PII Personally Identifiable Information
POST Power On Self Test
PRIVEK Private Endorsement Key
PRNG Pseudo Random Number Generator
PSS Probabilistic Signature Scheme
PUBEK Public Endorsement Key
RNG Random Number Generator
RSA Algorithm for public-key cryptography. The letters R, S, and A represent the initials of the first public describers of
the algorithm.
RTM Release to Manufacturing/Ready to Market
RTR Root of Trust for Reporting
RTS Root of Trust for Storage
SHA Secure Hash Algorithm
SRK Storage Root Key
STF Self Test Failed
TA Time Authority
TBB Threading Building Blocks
TCG Trusted Computing Group
TCV Tick Count Value
TIR Tick Increment Rate
TIS TPM Interface Specification
TNC Trusted Network Connect
TOE Target of Evaluation
TOS Trusted Operating System
TPCA Trusted Platform Computing Alliance
TPM Trusted Platform Module
TPME Trusted Platform Module Entity
TSC Tick Stamp Counter
TSC_ TPM Software Connection, when used as a command prefix
TSN Tick Session Name
TSR Tick Stamp Reset
TSRB TickStampReset for blob
TSS TCG Software Stack
TTP Trusted Third Party/Time-Triggered Protocol
TS Tick Stamp
UTC Universal Time Clock
VPN Virtual Private Network
4 © ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved

4. Structures and Formats
Start of informative comment
The following structures and formats describe the interoperable areas of ISO/IEC 11889. There is
no requirement that internal storage or memory representations of data must follow these
structures. These requirements are in place only during the movement of data from a TPM to some
other entity.
End of informative comment
4.1 Representation of Information
4.1.1 Endness of Structures
Each structure MUST use big endian bit ordering, which follows the Internet standard and requires
that the low-order bit appear to the far right of a word, buffer, wire format, or other area and the
high-order bit appear to the far left.
4.1.2 Byte Packing
All structures MUST be packed on a byte boundary.
4.1.3 Lengths
The “Byte” is the unit of length when the length of a parameter is specified.
4.1.4 Structure Definitions
This is not a MIDL compatible specification. The syntax of a structure definition is just a hint. It
should be used with Description column to determine the nature of a structure member.
© ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved 5

4.2 Defines
Start of informative comment
These definitions are in use to make a consistent use of values throughout the structure definitions.
Let x* denote the usual C-style pointers, e.g. a reference to an object or array of objects of type x.
Let x[] denote an array with elements of type x. If a number of elements is explicitly given, like
BYTE[16], that means a precise number of elements (16, for example) of type BYTE. If no explicit
number of elements is given, it indicates a variable-sized number of elements, where the number is
given by some other means, e.g. another parameter.
End of informative comment
4.2.1 Basic data types
Parameters
Table 1: Basic data type parameters
Typedef Name Description
unsigned char BYTE Basic byte used to transmit all character fields.
unsigned char BOOL TRUE/FALSE field. TRUE = 0x01, FALSE = 0x00
unsigned short UINT16 16-bit field. The definition in different architectures may need to specify 16 bits
instead of the short definition
unsigned long UINT32 32-bit field. The definition in different architectures may need to specify 32 bits
instead of the long definition
4.2.2 Boolean types
Table 2: Boolean types
Name Value Description
TRUE 0x01 Assertion
FALSE 0x00 Contradiction
4.2.3 Helper redefinitions
The following definitions are to make the definitions more explicit and easier to read.
Parameters
Table 3: Helper redefinition parameters
Typedef Name Description
BYTE TPM_AUTH_DATA_USAGE Indicates the conditions where it is required that authorization be presented.
BYTE TPM_PAYLOAD_TYPE The information as to what the payload is in an encrypted structure
BYTE TPM_VERSION_BYTE The version info breakdown
BYTE TPM_DA_STATE The state of the dictionary attack mitigation logic
UINT16 TPM_TAG The request or response authorization type.
UINT16 TPM_PROTOCOL_ID The protocol in use.
UINT16 TPM_STARTUP_TYPE Indicates the start state.
UINT16 TPM_ENC_SCHEME The definition of the encryption scheme.
UINT16 TPM_SIG_SCHEME The definition of the signature scheme.
6 © ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved

Typedef Name Description
UINT16 TPM_MIGRATE_SCHEME The definition of the migration scheme
UINT16 TPM_PHYSICAL_PRESENCE Sets the state of the physical presence mechanism.
UINT16 TPM_ENTITY_TYPE Indicates the types of entity that are supported by the TPM.
UINT16 TPM_KEY_USAGE Indicates the permitted usage of the key.
UINT16 TPM_EK_TYPE The type of asymmetric encrypted structure in use by the endorsement key
UINT16 TPM_STRUCTURE_TAG The tag for the structure
UINT16 TPM_PLATFORM_SPECIFIC The platform specific spec to which the information relates to
UINT32 TPM_COMMAND_CODE The command ordinal.
UINT32 TPM_CAPABILITY_AREA Identifies a TPM capability area.
UINT32 TPM_KEY_FLAGS Indicates information regarding a key.
UINT32 TPM_ALGORITHM_ID Indicates the type of algorithm.
UINT32 TPM_MODIFIER_INDICATOR The locality modifier
UINT32 TPM_ACTUAL_COUNT The actual number of a counter.
UINT32 TPM_TRANSPORT_ATTRIBUTES Attributes that define what options are in use for a transport session
UINT32 TPM_AUTHHANDLE Handle to an authorization session
UINT32 TPM_DIRINDEX Index to a DIR register
UINT32 TPM_KEY_HANDLE The area where a key is held assigned by the TPM.
UINT32 TPM_PCRINDEX Index to a PCR register
UINT32 TPM_RESULT The return code from a function
UINT32 TPM_RESOURCE_TYPE The types of resources that a TPM may have using internal resources
UINT32 TPM_KEY_CONTROL Allows for controlling of the key when loaded and how to handle TPM_Startup
issues
UINT32 TPM_NV_INDEX The index into the NV storage area
UINT32 TPM_FAMILY_ID The family ID. Families ID’s are automatically assigned a sequence number by
the TPM. A trusted process can set the FamilyID value in an individual row to
zero, which invalidates that row. The family ID resets to zero on each change of
TPM Owner.
UINT32 TPM_FAMILY_VERIFICATION A value used as a label for the most recent verification of this family. Set to zero
when not in use.
UINT32 TPM_STARTUP_EFFECTS How the TPM handles var
UINT32 TPM_SYM_MODE The mode of a symmetric encryption
UINT32 TPM_FAMILY_FLAGS The family flags
UINT32 TPM_DELEGATE_INDEX The index value for the delegate NV table
UINT32 TPM_CMK_DELEGATE The restrictions placed on delegation of CMK commands
UINT32 TPM_COUNT_ID The ID value of a monotonic counter
UINT32 TPM_REDIT_COMMAND A command to execute
UINT32 TPM_TRANSHANDLE A transport session handle
UINT32 TPM_HANDLE A generic handle could be key, transport etc.
UINT32 TPM_FAMILY_OPERATION What operation is happening
© ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved 7

4.2.4 Vendor specific
Start of informative comment
For all items that can specify an individual algorithm, protocol or item ISO/IEC 11889 allows for
vendor specific selections. The mechanism to specify a vendor specific mechanism is to set the high
bit of the identifier on.
End of informative comment
The following defines allow for the quick specification of a vendor specific item.
Parameters
Table 4: Vendor specific parameters
Name Value
TPM_Vendor_Specific32 0x00000400
TPM_Vendor_Specific8 0x80
8 © ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved

5. Structure Tags
Start of informative comment
There have been some indications that knowing what structure is in use would be valuable
information in each structure. This new tag will be in each new structure that the TPM defines.
The upper nibble of the value designates the purview of the structure tag. 0 is used for TPM
structures, 1 for platforms, and 2-F are reserved.
End of informative comment
© ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved 9

5.1 TPM_STRUCTURE_TAG
The upper nibble of the value MUST be 0 for all TPM structures.
TPM_StructureTags
Table 5: TPM_StructureTag
Name Value Structure
TPM_TAG_CONTEXTBLOB 0x0001 TPM_CONTEXT_BLOB
TPM_TAG_CONTEXT_SENSITIVE 0x0002 TPM_CONTEXT_SENSITIVE
TPM_TAG_CONTEXTPOINTER 0x0003 TPM_CONTEXT_POINTER
TPM_TAG_CONTEXTLIST 0x0004 TPM_CONTEXT_LIST
TPM_TAG_SIGNINFO 0x0005 TPM_SIGN_INFO
TPM_TAG_PCR_INFO_LONG 0x0006 TPM_PCR_INFO_LONG
TPM_TAG_PERSISTENT_FLAGS 0x0007 TPM_PERMANENT_FLAGS
TPM_TAG_VOLATILE_FLAGS 0x0008 TPM_VOLATILE_FLAGS
TPM_TAG_PERSISTENT_DATA 0x0009 TPM_PERSISTENT_DATA
TPM_TAG_VOLATILE_DATA 0x000A TPM_VOLATILE_DATA
TPM_TAG_SV_DATA 0x000B TPM _SV_DATA
TPM_TAG_EK_BLOB 0x000C TPM_EK_BLOB
TPM_TAG_EK_BLOB_AUTH 0x000D TPM_EK_BLOB_AUTH
TPM_TAG_COUNTER_VALUE 0x000E TPM_COUNTER_VALUE
TPM_TAG_TRANSPORT_INTERNAL 0x000F TPM_TRANSPORT_INTERNAL
TPM_TAG_TRANSPORT_LOG_IN 0x0010 TPM_TRANSPORT_LOG_IN
TPM_TAG_TRANSPORT_LOG_OUT 0x0011 TPM _TRANSPORT_LOG_OUT
TPM_TAG_AUDIT_EVENT_IN 0x0012 TPM_AUDIT_EVENT_IN
TPM_TAG_AUDIT_EVENT_OUT 0X0013 TPM_AUDIT_EVENT_OUT
TPM_TAG_CURRENT_TICKS 0x0014 TPM_CURRENT_TICKS
TPM_TAG_KEY 0x0015 TPM _KEY
TPM_TAG_STORED_DATA12 0x0016 TPM_ STORED_DATA12
TPM_TAG_NV_ATTRIBUTES 0x0017 TPM_ NV_ATTRIBUTES
TPM_TAG_NV_DATA_PUBLIC 0x0018 TPM _NV_DATA_PUBLIC
TPM_TAG_NV_DATA_SENSITIVE 0x0019 TPM _NV_DATA_SENSITIVE
TPM_TAG_DELEGATIONS 0x001A TPM DELEGATIONS
TPM_TAG_DELEGATE_PUBLIC 0x001B TPM_ DELEGATE_PUBLIC
TPM_TAG_DELEGATE_TABLE_ROW 0x001C TPM_DELEGATE_TABLE_ROW
TPM_TAG_TRANSPORT_AUTH 0x001D TPM_TRANSPORT_AUTH
TPM_TAG_TRANSPORT_PUBLIC 0X001E TPM_TRANSPORT_PUBLIC
TPM_TAG_PERMANENT_FLAGS 0X001F TPM_PERMANENT_FLAGS
TPM_TAG_STCLEAR_FLAGS 0X0020 TPM_STCLEAR_FLAGS
TPM_TAG_STANY_FLAGS 0X0021 TPM_STANY_FLAGS
TPM_TAG_PERMANENT_DATA 0X0022 TPM_PERMANENT_DATA
TPM_TAG_STCLEAR_DATA 0X0023 TPM_STCLEAR_DATA
TPM_TAG_STANY_DATA 0X0024 TPM_STANY_DATA
10 © ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved

Name Value Structure
TPM_TAG_FAMILY_TABLE_ENTRY 0X0025 TPM_FAMILY_TABLE_ENTRY
TPM_TAG_DELEGATE_SENSITIVE 0X0026 TPM_DELEGATE_SENSITIVE
TPM_TAG_DELG_KEY_BLOB 0X0027 TPM_DELG_KEY_BLOB
TPM_TAG_KEY12 0x0028 TPM_KEY12
TPM_TAG_CERTIFY_INFO2 0X0029 TPM_CERTIFY_INFO2
TPM_TAG_DELEGATE_OWNER_BLOB 0X002A TPM_DELEGATE_OWNER_BLOB
TPM_TAG_EK_BLOB_ACTIVATE 0X002B TPM_EK_BLOB_ACTIVATE
TPM_TAG_DAA_BLOB 0X002C TPM_DAA_BLOB
TPM_TAG_DAA_CONTEXT 0X002D TPM_DAA_CONTEXT
TPM_TAG_DAA_ENFORCE 0X002E TPM_DAA_ENFORCE
TPM_TAG_DAA_ISSUER 0X002F TPM_DAA_ISSUER
TPM_TAG_CAP_VERSION_INFO 0X0030 TPM_CAP_VERSION_INFO
TPM_TAG_DAA_SENSITIVE 0X0031 TPM_DAA_SENSITIVE
TPM_TAG_DAA_TPM 0X0032 TPM_DAA_TPM
TPM_TAG_CMK_MIGAUTH 0X0033 TPM_CMK_MIGAUTH
TPM_TAG_CMK_SIGTICKET 0X0034 TPM_CMK_SIGTICKET
TPM_TAG_CMK_MA_APPROVAL 0X0035 TPM_CMK_MA_APPROVAL
TPM_TAG_QUOTE_INFO2 0X0036 TPM_QUOTE_INFO2
TPM_TAG_DA_INFO 0x0037 TPM_DA_INFO
TPM_TAG_DA_INFO_LIMITED 0x0038 TPM_DA_INFO_LIMITED
TPM_TAG_DA_ACTION_TYPE  0x0039 TPM_DA_ACTION_TYPE
© ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved 11

6. Types
6.1 TPM_RESOURCE_TYPE
TPM_ResourceTypes
Table 6: TPM_ResourceTypes
Name Value Description
TPM_RT_KEY 0x00000001 The handle is a key handle and is the result of a LoadKey type operation
TPM_RT_AUTH 0x00000002 The handle is an authorization handle. Auth handles come from
TPM_OIAP, TPM_OSAP and TPM_DSAP
TPM_RT_HASH 0X00000003 Reserved for hashes
TPM_RT_TRANS 0x00000004 The handle is for a transport session. Transport handles come from
TPM_EstablishTransport
TPM_RT_CONTEXT 0x00000005 Resource wrapped and held outside the TPM using the context
save/restore commands
TPM_RT_COUNTER 0x00000006 Reserved for counters
TPM_RT_DELEGATE 0x00000007 The handle is for a delegate row. These are the internal rows held in NV
storage by the TPM
TPM_RT_DAA_TPM 0x00000008 The value is a DAA TPM specific blob
TPM_RT_DAA_V0 0x00000009 The value is a DAA V0 parameter
TPM_RT_DAA_V1 0x0000000A The value is a DAA V1 parameter
12 © ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved

6.2 TPM_PAYLOAD_TYPE
Start of informative comment
This structure specifies the type of payload in various messages.
The payload may indicate whether the key is a CMK, and the CMK type. The distinction was put
here rather than in TPM_KEY_USAGE:
for backward compatibility
because some commands only see the TPM_STORE_ASYMKEY, not the entire TPM_KEY
End of informative comment
TPM_PAYLOAD_TYPE Values
Table 7: TPM_PAYLOAD_TYPE values
Value Name Comments
0x01 TPM_PT_ASYM The entity is an asymmetric key
0x02 TPM_PT_BIND The entity is bound data
0x03 TPM_PT_MIGRATE The entity is a migration blob
0x04 TPM_PT_MAINT The entity is a maintenance blob
0x05 TPM_PT_SEAL The entity is sealed data
0x06 TPM_PT_MIGRATE_RESTRICTED The entity is a restricted-migration asymmetric key
0x07 TPM_PT_MIGRATE_EXTERNAL The entity is a external migratable key
0x08 TPM_PT_CMK_MIGRATE The entity is a CMK migratable blob
0x09 – 0x7F Reserved for future use by TPM
0x80 – 0xFF  Vendor specific payloads
© ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved 13

6.3 TPM_ENTITY_TYPE
Start of informative comment
This specifies the types of entity and ADIP encryption schemes that are supported by the TPM.
The LSB is used to indicate the entity type. The MSB is used to indicate the ADIP encryption
scheme when applicable.
For compatibility with TPM 1.1, this mapping is maintained:
0x0001 specifies a keyHandle entity with XOR encryption
0x0002 specifies an owner entity with XOR encryption
0x0003 specifies some data entity with XOR encryption
0x0004 specifies the SRK entity with XOR encryption
0x0005 specifies a key entity with XOR encryption

The method of incrementing the symmetric key counter value is different from that used by some
standard crypto libraries (e.g. openSSL, Java JCE) that increment the entire counter value. TPM
users should be aware of this to avoid errors when the counter wraps.
End of informative comment
1. When the entity is not being used for ADIP encryption, the MSB MUST be 0x00.
TPM_ENTITY_TYPE LSB Values
Table 8: TPM_ENTITY_TYPE LSB Values
Value Entity Name Key Handle Comments
0x01 TPM_ET_KEYHANDLE The entity is a keyHandle or key
0x02 TPM_ET_OWNER 0x40000001 The entity is the TPM Owner
0x03 TPM_ET_DATA The entity is some data
0x04 TPM_ET_SRK 0x40000000 The entity is the SRK
0x05 TPM_ET_KEY The entity is a key or keyHandle
0x06 TPM_ET_REVOKE 0x40000002 The entity is the RevokeTrust value
0x07 TPM_ET_DEL_OWNER_BLOB The entity is a delegate owner blob
0x08 TPM_ET_DEL_ROW The entity is a delegate row
0x09 TPM_ET_DEL_KEY_BLOB The entity is a delegate key blob
0x0A TPM_ET_COUNTER The entity is a counter
0x0B TPM_ET_NV The entity is a NV index
0x0C TPM_ET_OPERATOR           The entity is the operator
0x40 TPM_ET_RESERVED_HANDLE Reserved. This value avoids collisions with the handle MSB
setting.
TPM_ENTITY_TYPE MSB Values
Table 9: TPM_ENTITY_TYPE MSB Values
Value Algorithm ADIP encryption scheme
0x00 TPM_ET_XOR XOR
0x06 TPM_ET_AES_CTR AES 128 bits in CTR mode
14 © ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved

6.4 Handles
Start of informative comment
Handles provides pointers to TPM internal resources. Handles should provide the ability to locate an
entity without collision. When handles are used, the TPM must be able to unambiguously determine
the entity type.
Handles are 32 bit values. To enable ease of use in handles and to assist in internal use of handles
the TPM will use the following rules when creating the handle.
The three least significant bytes (LSB) of the handle contain whatever entropy the TPM needs to
provide collision avoidance. The most significant byte (MSB) may also be included.
Counter handles need not provide collision avoidance.
Reserved key handles
Certain TPM entities have handles that point specifically to them, like the SRK. These values always
use the MSB of 0x40. This is a reserved key handle value and all special handles will use the 0x40
prefix.
Handle collisions
The TPM provides good, but not foolproof protection against handle collisions. If system or
application software detects a collision that is problematic, the software should evict the resource,
and re-submit the command.
End of informative comment
1. The TPM MUST generate key, authorization session, transport session, and DAA handles and
MAY generate counter handles as follows:
a. The three LSB of the handle MUST and the MSB MAY contain the collision resistance
values. The TPM MUST provide protection against handle collision. The TPM MUST
implement one of the following:
b. The three LSB of the handle MUST and the MSB MAY be generated randomly. The TPM
MUST ensure that no currently loaded entity of the same type has the same handle.
c. The three LSB of the handle MUST be generated from a monotonic counter. The monotonic
counter value MUST NOT reset on TPM startup, but may wrap over the life of the TPM.
d. The MSB MAY be a value that does not contribute to collision resistance.
2. A key handle MUST NOT have the reserved value 0x40 in the MSB.
3. The TPM MAY use the counter index as the monotonic counter handle.
4. Handles are not required to be globally unique between entity groups (key, authorization
session, transport session, and DAA).
5. For example, a newly generated authorization handle MAY have the same value as a loaded
key handle.
© ISO/IEC 2009 – All rights reserved 15

6.4.1 Reserved Key Handles
Start of informative comment
The reserved key handles. These values specify specific keys or specific actions for the TPM.
TPM_KH_TRANSPORT indicates to TPM_EstablishTransport that there is no encryption key, and
that the “secret” wrapped parameters are actually passed unencrypted.
End of informative comment
1. All reserved key handles MUST start with 0x40.
2. By default, when an ordinal input parameter specifies a TPM_KEY_HANDLE, a TPM generated
key handle or TPM_KH_SRK can be used, but a reserved key handle other than TPM_KH_SRK
can never be used.
3. The actions may further restrict use of any key. For example, TPM_KH_SRK cannot be used for
TPM_Sign because it is not a signing key.
4. When an ordinal input parameter specifies a TPM_KEY_HANDLE, a reserved key handle can
be used if explicitly allowed by the ordinal actions.
5. For example, TPM_CreateWrapKey or TPM_GetPubKey can use TPM_KH_SRK but not
TPM_KH_EK by default.
6. For example, TPM_OwnerReadInternalPub can use TPM_KH_EK because it is explicitly
allowed by the actions.
Key Handle Values
Table 10: Key Handle Values
Key Handle Handle Name Comments
0x40000000 TPM_KH_SRK The handle points to the SRK
0x40000001 TPM_KH_OWNER The handle points to the TPM Owner
0x40000002 TPM_KH_REVOKE The handle points to the RevokeTrust value
0x40000003 TPM_KH_TRANSPORT The handle points to the TPM_EstablishTransport static authorization
0x40000004 TPM_KH_OPERATOR The handle points to the Operator auth
0x40000005 TPM_KH_ADMIN The handle points to the delegation administration auth
0x40000006 TPM_KH_EK The handle points to the PUBEK, o
...