A tamper-resistant security module is a physical computing device that safeguards and manages cryptographic keys and provides cryptographic processing. Hardware security modules provide tamper-evident and intrusion-resistant protection for digital keys and other secrets.
There are varying levels of protection afforded by TRSMs: Tamper-resistance: make intrusion difficult, usually by employing hardened casing Tamper-evident: make intrusion attempts evident to subsequent viewers, often by employing seals which must be broken during intrusion Tamper-responsive: detect the intrusion attempt and destroy the contents in the process
A TRSM is usually also a hardware security module (HSM).
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