AMD plans to restore a security feature on its mainstream Ryzen 9000 desktop processors after stripping it out in an earlier firmware update.
According to Tom's Hardware, AMD says it will reinstate firmware-based memory encryption — known as TSME, or Transparent Secure Memory Encryption — on non-PRO Ryzen 9000 chips through a BIOS update due in July. The feature had been removed by a previous firmware update.
Tom's Hardware reports that AMD framed the reversal as a response to "valuable community feedback," suggesting the original removal drew pushback from users and the enthusiast community.
TSME works at the firmware level to automatically encrypt the contents of a system's memory. That matters because data sitting in RAM can otherwise be exposed to certain physical attacks — for example, someone with hands-on access trying to read sensitive information directly from the memory chips. Encrypting it transparently means the protection happens without the user needing to configure anything.
The distinction between "PRO" and non-PRO parts is notable here. Business-oriented PRO processors typically carry a fuller set of security and manageability features, while the standard consumer chips do not always include them. By restoring TSME to the non-PRO Ryzen 9000 line, AMD is extending this baseline memory protection back to everyday desktop users rather than reserving it for commercial customers.
The fix arrives as a BIOS update, meaning users will need to install updated motherboard firmware once it ships in July to regain the capability.
Why it matters: it's a reminder that security features baked into the hardware can come and go through firmware, and that user feedback can push a chipmaker to reverse a decision that quietly weakened protection on widely used consumer processors.