Updated
Updated · Ars Technica · Jun 22
AMD Restores TSME Encryption to Ryzen CPUs After 1 Week of User Backlash
Updated
Updated · Ars Technica · Jun 22

AMD Restores TSME Encryption to Ryzen CPUs After 1 Week of User Backlash

2 articles · Updated · Ars Technica · Jun 22

Summary

  • AMD reversed course on consumer Ryzen security, saying Transparent Secure Memory Encryption will return after users objected to its quiet removal.
  • TSME encrypts all data in system memory, blunting cold-boot and other physical-access attacks that leave stolen RAM contents unreadable.
  • The feature had been dropped through a recent firmware update rather than a silicon change, making the rollback largely a software decision.
  • AMD had offered TSME on consumer Ryzen chips for years, and criticism intensified after the company initially declined last week to explain or acknowledge the change.

Insights

Beyond AMD's reversal, what does this incident mean for the future of corporate transparency in technology?
When a company can secretly disable security features, who truly controls the hardware you purchased?