The company has decided to restore the memory encryption feature on consumer Ryzen CPUs after the backlash.
AMD To Restore TSME Feature on Consumer Ryzen Chips After Removing it Silently With a BIOS Update
AMD recently removed the TSME aka Transparent Secure Memory Encryption feature from the mainstream consumer Ryzen processors. It was a silent process that AMD didn't mention for the latest AGESA firmware, but was only found out after some users accidentally found that the TSME was "not supported" on their Ryzen chips, even though it was enabled previously.
Some users discovered it after the latest BIOS updates, which even motherboard vendors didn't know. After the 'privacy-conscious' Linux hobbyist, Ben Kilpatrick communicated with AMD, it finally got to know that the company silent removed the TSME feature, which it only reserved for the Ryzen PRO chips. TSME is a feature that lets processor generate a key to encrypt the data stored in the system RAM. This allows the system to protect itself against cold boot attacks.
Even though this wasn't a huge security flaw, particularly when the hacker needs to have a physical access to the machine, it was still an important change that AMD should have communicated. Due to the transparency issues, many were upset and called out AMD for such behavior, particularly when there was no need to remove TSME from Ryzen chips.
However, after talking to Tom's Hardware, the company has finally decided to bring back TSME to mainstream consumer Ryzen chips. According to the report, AMD is bringing TSME back to non-PRO Ryzen 9000 chips, "based on valuable community feedback". This will be done through another BIOS update, which should reinstate the feature.
About the author: Sarfraz Khan is a hardware reporter with a focus on PC components and the builder community. With years of experience writing about PC hardware and laptops, his work has been featured on several reputable technology publications. Sarfraz's hands-on experience is demonstrated through his first-person accounts of using and comparing different hardware configurations, providing practical and relatable insights for everyday users. His technical analysis is respected by peers in the enthusiast community and has been cited by specialized hardware sites such as Germany's Igor's Lab.
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