AMD Secure Encrypted Virtualization Patches Updated For Linux

[phoronix]

Phoronix: AMD Secure Encrypted Virtualization Patches Updated For Linux

AMD Linux developers today sent out the latest revision to their big set of patches adding in support for Secure Encrypted Virtualization (SEV) to the Linux kernel...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=AMD-SEV-V8-Encrypted-Virt

[madscientist159]

With this inextricably tied to the PSP I don't think it provides anywhere near the security it might otherwise. In fact, with the PSP mandatory on platforms with SEV I'd wager the security is actually lower than on the older platforms that had neither the PSP nor SEV.

AMD is retreading Intel's footsteps here, as Intel has SGX with many of the same claims. SGX is tied to the ME, just like SVM is tied to the PSP, and SGX has been broken repeatedly.

Fundamentally, as long as AMD retains the technical capability to compromise any of the PSP enabled platforms, you're relying solely on their goodwill for continued security. Not the best place to be as a cloud services provider...

[EthraZa]

Maybe it's my lacking English, but I didn't understand! In the beginning of the post, it says it's landing on kernel 4.14 and in the end it says it's too late for kernel 4.15. What?

[andrei_me]

Maybe it's my lacking English, but I didn't understand! In the beginning of the post, it says it's landing on kernel 4.14 and in the end it says it's too late for kernel 4.15. What?

SME landed on 4.14, which is used as a base for SEV, and SEV might not land on time for 4.15

[SystemCrasher]

I think AMD and Intel both gone a really long way in promoting treachery and double standards. Security? Oh, when your system comes with Management Engine or "Security" processor, what kind of security one could expect? Shameless treacherous marketing BS abusing all kinds of buzzwords is the only kind of security one could get from AMD and Intel.