The PSP is a . AMD provides the binary firmware, but the source code is a secret. Security researchers and open-source purists (especially the coreboot and libreboot communities) have a visceral reaction to the PSP.
Yes. The PSP is a supply chain risk . A compromised PSP could surveil everything: encryption keys, passwords, network traffic, and even microphone data—with zero detection from your antivirus. bios psp
Your main PC is a busy city. The PSP is the fortified security bunker underground that starts running before the city even turns on the lights . The PSP is a
The only way to truly remove the PSP is to use an old, pre-2013 AMD platform (e.g., AM3+ with a Bulldozer CPU) or a non-x86 architecture (like RISC-V or POWER9). Even then, you lose modern performance and security features. If you’re an Intel user, don’t feel smug. Intel’s Management Engine (ME) is the same concept—an ARC processor inside the PCH that runs before your BIOS. In fact, Intel’s ME is older (2008) and historically more powerful (it has network access even when your PC is "off"). Your main PC is a busy city
You’ve heard of the BIOS. But do you know about the miniature ARM computer hiding inside your AMD chipset? Introduction: The Second Computer You Never Knew You Owned When you power on your PC, you instinctively know the drill: the BIOS (or its modern UEFI counterpart) initializes your hardware, runs a Power-On Self Test (POST), and hands off control to your operating system.