Device Identifier Composition Engine (DICE)
DICE is TCG's lightweight hardware Root of Trust architecture for device identity and attestation. It is used to derive cryptographically strong identities from measured software layers, enabling secure update verification, device attestation, and trusted onboarding for constrained devices and components. It can be used in situations where a TPM is not present or alongside a TPM in more complex security architectures.
Core capabilities
What DICE delivers
Anchors trust with minimal silicon, making hardware security viable on low-cost devices.
Each software layer derives its identity from the one below, creating a chain tied to actual state.
Identities are derived from hardware secrets and cannot be cloned or transferred between devices.
Devices can report what they are running and under which policy, so a verifier can assess trust.
Certificate profiles let manufacturers endorse device identities and verifiers evaluate them.
Updates are checked against derived identities before being accepted and executed.
Works alone on constrained devices, or alongside a TPM in more complex architectures.
The same model applies from a single microcontroller to large fleets of embedded systems.
[ 01 ]
Anchors trust with minimal silicon, making hardware security viable on low-cost devices.
Each software layer derives its identity from the one below, creating a chain tied to actual state.
Identities are derived from hardware secrets and cannot be cloned or transferred between devices.
Devices can report what they are running and under which policy, so a verifier can assess trust.
Certificate profiles let manufacturers endorse device identities and verifiers evaluate them.
Updates are checked against derived identities before being accepted and executed.
Works alone on constrained devices, or alongside a TPM in more complex architectures.
The same model applies from a single microcontroller to large fleets of embedded systems.
Attestation of boot stages and firmware layers.
Component identity inside larger systems.
Secure update authorization and verification.
Device onboarding and enrollment.
Supply-chain trust for modules, subsystems, and embedded controllers.
Root of Trust for Measurement on TPM-equipped platforms.
DPE to provide isolation and protection for DICE related secrets and operations.
Primary features
Key capabilities of the DICE architecture
[ 01 ]
Composable identity model derived from hardware secrets and measurements
[ 02 ]
Layered architecture that changes device identity as measurement layers change
[ 03 ]
Certificate profile support for attestation and endorsement
[ 04 ]
Attestation architecture for measured boot environments
[ 05 ]
Minimal silicon requirements
[ 06 ]
Support for privacy-preserving and scalable device identity patterns
[ 07 ]
Alignment with TCG attestation and supply-chain evidence models
[ 08 ]
Compatibility with TPM and non-TPM systems
Composable identity model derived from hardware secrets and measurements
Identity is built by combining an immutable hardware secret with the measured state of each layer.
Layered architecture that changes device identity as measurement layers change
Any change to firmware produces a different identity, making unauthorized modification detectable.
Certificate profile support for attestation and endorsement
Defined certificate formats so device identities can be endorsed and verified interoperably.
Attestation architecture for measured boot environments
A common structure for producing and evaluating evidence from measured boot sequences.
Minimal silicon requirements
Requires only a small immutable code region and a hardware secret, no dedicated security chip.
Support for privacy-preserving and scalable device identity patterns
Identity schemes that work across large fleets without exposing unnecessary device information.
Alignment with TCG attestation and supply-chain evidence models
DICE evidence fits the broader TCG attestation and supply-chain frameworks.
Compatibility with TPM and non-TPM systems
Deployable on platforms with or without a discrete TPM.
capability 01
Work Groups
Related TCG Work Groups that leverage DICE
Device Identifier Composition Engine (DICE)
Develops DICE requirements, use cases, architecture, certificate profiles, attestation architecture, and related specifications.
Attestation
Aligns DICE attestation terminology and evidence concepts with TCG-wide attestation models.
Infrastructure
Uses DICE identity and attestation concepts where infrastructure components require scalable device evidence.
Internet of Things (IoT)
Applies DICE to constrained devices, embedded controllers, and IoT platforms.
PC Client
Uses DICE-based identities and measurements as part of supply-chain and attestation evidence, as well as TPM protection and update.
Other Work Groups
Vehicle Services, Mobile, Network Equipment, Data Center, Server, and CyRes Work Groups use DICE for component identity, measured state, secure update, and resilience use cases.
Reference sources
Explore the DICE documentation
DICE Architectures
The Work Group that develops the DICE architecture, certificate profiles, and related specifications.
View moreDICE Attestation Architecture
Defines how DICE-based evidence is produced and evaluated in measured boot environments.
View moreWhat is a Device Identifier Composition Engine (DICE)
An introduction to the DICE model and how layered identity derivation works.
View moreDICE Protection Environment
Defines an isolated environment protecting DICE secrets and the operations that use them.
View moreReference sources
Explore the DICE documentation
Explore other Technologies
Trusted Platform Module (TPM)
TCG's standardized hardware Root of Trust for protecting keys, recording platform measurements and supporting attestation across every class of device.
Block Integrated Trust (BIT)
TCG's component-level hardware Root of Trust for constrained devices, giving integrated components their own identity and attestation.
Storage Security
TCG's architecture for interoperable security on trusted storage devices: self-encrypting drives, access control, locking and Opal, Ruby and Opalite classes.
Explore other Technologies
Trusted Platform Module (TPM)
TCG's standardized hardware Root of Trust for protecting keys, recording platform measurements and supporting attestation across every class of device.
Block Integrated Trust (BIT)
TCG's component-level hardware Root of Trust for constrained devices, giving integrated components their own identity and attestation.
Storage Security
TCG's architecture for interoperable security on trusted storage devices: self-encrypting drives, access control, locking and Opal, Ruby and Opalite classes.
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