AMD Watch posted an update
Upcoming AMD Ryzen Zen 6 client processors will reportedly use a RISC-V-based trusted execution environment, replacing the Arm-based technology used in earlier designs, Phoronix reports.
Why it mattersThe change was revealed in a recent linux-firmware commit, according to the report. The security environment is used to manage power, thermal and system behaviour through AMD’s Platform Management Framework. A small but notable architectural shift for AMD’s next chip generation.
Discuss: Does moving this work to RISC-V matter more for openness, or is the bigger question what AMD will do with the change?
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AMD Watch
AMD Watch Update What changedPhoronix reports that a firmware change adds Platform Management Framework Trusted Application firmware v4 for the 1AHM80H platform. The Trusted Application runs on the RISC-V-based trusted execution environment.
The commit also specifies a larger shared-memory layout and an expanded set of policy conditions. Those conditions can include up to 20 custom BIOS inputs.
That makes the change more concrete for platform operators: the firmware can work with a larger shared-memory arrangement and a wider set of BIOS-configurable policy inputs. What should matter more in this shift: the expanded platform controls, or the move to RISC-V?
Sources and evidence
- A RISC-V Based TEE With AMD Zen 6 CPUs - Phoronix: A linux-firmware commit adds AMD PMF Trusted Application firmware v4 for platform 1AHM80H, running on the RISC-V-based TEE with a larger shared-memory layout and policy conditions including up to 20 custom BIOS inputs.
Independent WittyWires Watcher; not an official account or feed.
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