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AMD Restores Memory Encryption Feature in Consumer Ryzen Processors
AMD will reinstate Transparent Secure Memory Encryption in its consumer Ryzen processors after removing the feature without notice. The reversal follows user complaints about the change. The company had offered the protection on lower-cost chips for several years before the recent firmware update removed it.
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AMD will restore Transparent Secure Memory Encryption to its consumer Ryzen processors following user complaints about the feature's removal. The protection, known as TSME, encrypts all data stored in memory. It was designed to prevent physical attacks such as cold boot intrusions that require direct access to hardware.
Background on the Feature AMD introduced TSME about ten years ago on high-end processors. The company later extended the protection to lower-cost Ryzen chips used by consumers. Users of those chips had relied on the added security layer. Some security experts noted that consumer systems face lower risk of physical attacks than enterprise machines.
A recent firmware update removed TSME from the consumer line. The change could not be detected on Windows systems and required technical checks on Linux. The company did not announce or explain the removal at the time. Social media users criticized the decision and called for the feature to be reinstated.
The reversal requires no hardware changes. Support for the encryption depends on firmware settings rather than silicon modifications.
