A security module is a dedicated hardware or software component that provides cryptographic and protection services such as key generation, secure storage, signing, and access enforcement. Hardware security modules and secure elements isolate sensitive operations from the general computing environment to resist extraction and tampering. Such modules are required wherever keys and credentials must be safeguarded, as in custody and IoT systems.
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- Hardware security modules and secure elements perform key operations inside tamper-resistant boundaries, never exposing private material in plaintext. They enforce rate limits, attestation, and role-based access, providing the root of trust for signing, encryption, and credential management across devices and services.