AMD Removes, Then Restores Ryzen Memory Encryption After Backlash
AMD quietly removed Transparent Secure Memory Encryption (TSME) from consumer Ryzen CPUs via AGESA firmware 1.2.7.0, leaving users vulnerable to physical memory attacks. Discovered by a Linux hobbyist who audited a Ryzen 7 9700X, the change was initially undetectable on Windows. After months of community investigation and media pressure, AMD announced it will reinstate TSME on Ryzen 9000 series through a July BIOS update, citing valuable community feedback while reiterating the feature's importance for Pro and EPYC lines.
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Asus Beta BIOS Updates Restore Ryzen 9000 Memory Encryption Ahead of AMD's July Timeline
Asus has released beta BIOS updates for several AM5 motherboards (X870, B850, X670) that restore Transparent Secure Memory Encryption (TSME) support for non-Pro Ryzen 9000 CPUs. This move comes ahead of AMD's previously announced July timeline for reinstating the feature after community backlash over its silent removal. The BIOS files, based on AGESA ComboAM5 PI 1.3.0.1b Patch A, were shared via the ASUS ROG forum by overclocker SAFEDISK. AMD confirmed the fix last week following negative user feedback. TSME is a security feature that encrypts data in memory against physical attacks. The updates are beta versions, so users needing stability-critical systems are advised to wait for final builds.
Latest from Tom's HardwareAsus Beta BIOS Restores Ryzen 9000 Memory Encryption Ahead of AMD's July Timeline
Asus has released beta BIOS updates for several AM5 motherboards (X870, B850, X670) that restore Transparent Secure Memory Encryption (TSME) support for non-Pro Ryzen 9000 CPUs, ahead of AMD's previously stated July timeline. The updates, based on AGESA ComboAM5 PI 1.3.0.1b Patch A, were shared via the ASUS ROG forum. This follows community backlash after AMD silently removed TSME from consumer Ryzen chips, a security feature that encrypts memory data to protect against physical attacks. AMD confirmed last week it would reinstate the feature via BIOS updates. Asus is among the first board vendors to implement the fix, though the current releases are beta versions, and users on production systems are advised to wait for stable builds.
Latest from Tom's HardwareASUS Beta BIOS Restores Ryzen 9000 Memory Encryption Ahead of AMD's July Timeline
ASUS has released beta BIOS updates for select X870, B850, and X670 AM5 motherboards that restore Transparent Secure Memory Encryption (TSME) support for non-Pro Ryzen 9000 CPUs. The move comes after AMD faced backlash for silently removing the security feature from consumer Ryzen chips, which protects against physical memory attacks by encrypting data stored in RAM. AMD had previously set a July timeline to reinstate the feature following community complaints. The ASUS beta firmware, based on AGESA ComboAM5 PI 1.3.0.1b Patch A, covers ROG Crosshair, ROG Strix, TUF Gaming, and ProArt boards. While this marks an earlier-than-expected implementation, ASUS warns these are beta releases shared via the ROG forum, advising users on production systems to wait for stable final builds.
Latest from Tom's HardwareAMD to Reinstate TSME Memory Encryption on Ryzen 9000 CPUs via July BIOS Update
AMD has confirmed to Tom's Hardware that it will restore Transparent Secure Memory Encryption (TSME) on non-PRO Ryzen 9000 desktop processors through a BIOS update in July. The feature, which protects against cold boot attacks by encrypting data in RAM, was quietly removed earlier this year via AGESA 1.2.7.0 firmware. Security researcher Ben Kilpatrick discovered the removal during an audit and raised a bug report, initially receiving no explanation from AMD. Following community backlash, AMD announced it is reinstating the feature on consumer chips, while reaffirming TSME remains a foundational security feature on its Ryzen PRO lineup. The company stated the decision was made "based on valuable community feedback."
Latest from Tom's HardwareAMD to Reinstate Memory Encryption on Ryzen 9000 CPUs After Community Backlash
AMD has announced it will restore Transparent Secure Memory Encryption (TSME) on non-PRO Ryzen 9000 desktop processors through a BIOS update in July, following its quiet removal in an earlier firmware update (AGESA 1.2.7.0). The feature, branded as Memory Guard on Ryzen PRO chips, encrypts data in RAM to protect against cold boot attacks requiring physical access. The removal was discovered by security researcher Ben Kilpatrick during a routine audit of a Ryzen 7 9700X system. After initial silence from AMD on a GitHub bug report, the company told Tom's Hardware it would reinstate the option 'based on valuable community feedback.' AMD emphasized that TSME remains a foundational security feature for its PRO lineup and that the removal from consumer chips was not intended to differentiate product tiers. The reversal is expected in a July BIOS release.
Latest from Tom's HardwareAMD to Reinstate Memory Encryption on Ryzen 9000 CPUs via July BIOS Update
AMD has announced it will reinstate Transparent Secure Memory Encryption (TSME) on non-PRO Ryzen 9000 desktop processors through a BIOS update in July, following its quiet removal in an earlier firmware update (AGESA 1.2.7.0). The feature, branded as Memory Guard on PRO chips, protects against cold boot attacks by encrypting data in RAM. The removal was discovered by security researcher Ben Kilpatrick during an audit of a Ryzen 7 9700X system, who then reported it via AMD's GitHub. After initial silence, AMD responded to Tom's Hardware, stating that based on 'valuable community feedback,' the BIOS option to enable TSME will be restored. The company emphasized that Memory Guard remains a foundational feature for its Ryzen PRO lineup and that the reinstatement applies to certain non-PRO Ryzen 9000-series processors.
Latest from Tom's HardwareAMD Quietly Removes Memory Encryption from Consumer Ryzen CPUs, Leaving Users Potentially Vulnerable
AMD has silently removed Transparent Secure Memory Encryption (TSME) from its consumer Ryzen processors, a security feature that protects against physical memory attacks. The change was discovered by privacy-conscious Linux hobbyist Ben Kilpatrick, who found that newer AGESA firmware (version 1.2.7.0) disables TSME on consumer chips, while Pro and EPYC CPUs retain support. After a months-long investigation involving AMD engineers, motherboard vendor MSI, and community discussions, an AMD engineer abruptly ended communication. AMD's only official response stated TSME is a Pro-only feature, contradicting years of support on consumer chips. The removal is undetectable on Windows and requires significant technical effort to identify on Linux, leaving users unaware of the vulnerability. It remains unclear whether the change is an intentional product segmentation decision or an accidental firmware regression.
Latest from Tom's HardwareAMD Quietly Removes Memory Encryption from Consumer Ryzen CPUs, Leaving Users Potentially Vulnerable
AMD has silently removed Transparent Secure Memory Encryption (TSME) from its consumer Ryzen processors, a security feature that protects against physical memory attacks. The change was discovered by privacy-conscious Linux hobbyist Ben Kilpatrick, who found that TSME was no longer supported on his Ryzen 7 9700X despite being enabled in BIOS. After a months-long investigation involving AMD engineers, motherboard vendor MSI, and other users, it was confirmed that newer AGESA firmware (version 1.2.7.0) disables TSME on consumer chips, while Pro and EPYC CPUs retain the feature. AMD engineers initially offered no clear explanation and eventually stopped responding. AMD's only official statement claimed TSME is a Pro-only feature, contradicting years of support on consumer chips. The removal is undetectable on Windows and requires technical expertise to identify on Linux, leaving unaware users vulnerable to physical exploits. It remains unclear whether the change is intentional product segmentation or an accidental firmware regression.
Latest from Tom's HardwareAMD Quietly Removes Memory Encryption from Consumer Ryzen CPUs
AMD has silently removed Transparent Secure Memory Encryption (TSME) from its consumer Ryzen CPUs, according to a report by Ars Technica. The security feature, which protects against physical memory attacks, was found to be unavailable on newer AGESA firmware version 1.2.7.0. Privacy hobbyist Ben Kilpatrick discovered the change after auditing his Ryzen 7 9700X system. AMD engineers initially offered no clear explanation, and one cut off discussions abruptly. MSI's tests confirmed that TSME works on older firmware but is reported as 'not supported' on newer versions for consumer chips, while Pro and EPYC CPUs remain unaffected. AMD later stated via email that TSME is a PRO-only feature, but the company has not officially acknowledged the removal or clarified whether it is a deliberate policy decision or a firmware bug. The change is undetectable on Windows and difficult to spot on Linux, leaving many users unknowingly vulnerable.
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