Through a technology partnership with ARM, AMD will
integrate the ARM TrustZone technology into future
Accelerated Processing Units (APUs) via a
system-on-a-chip (SoC) design methodology.
AMD will integrate an ARM processor with upcoming x86 chips, starting next year. The new AMD chips will integrate ARM's Cortex-A5 processor with TrustZone security technology, the company said. The technology would offer consumers secure access to
their content and worry-free online transactions.
By adopting the approach to security that TrustZone
technology embodies, AMD and ARM will provide a
consistent approach to security spanning billions of
Internet-connected mobile devices, tablets, PCs and
servers − whether they are powered by ARM
processor-based solutions or AMD x86 APUs. AMD plans to
provide development platforms that have TrustZone
security features on select APUs in 2013, expanding
further across its product portfolio in 2014.
In a presentation this week at the AMD Fusion Developer
Summit 2012 (AFDS), AMD Senior Vice President and Chief
Information Officer Mike Wolfe described AMD's vision to
advance computing security by enhancing AMD's existing
security technologies. This is expected to include
developing a platform security processor using an ARM
Cortex-A5 CPU that features TrustZone technology, to
monitor and help protect against malicious access to
sensitive data and operations at the hardware level.
"With AMD's support for, and inclusion in, the expanding
TrustZone ecosystem, consumers and businesses can rest
assured their data and content are secured by an
industry-standard security solution that spans a
multitude of devices and operating systems," said Wolfe.
"This example of AMD's ambidextrous strategy, which
leverages our history of x86 and graphics innovation
while also embracing other technologies and intellectual
property, will help drive a more secure computing
experience for our consumer and businesses customers."
"As technology becomes more important to our everyday
lives, security needs to be present in every single
device. The challenge that the industry faces is how to
make this a reality," said Ian Drew, executive vice
president, strategy, ARM. "Through this technology
partnership with AMD, and the broadening of the ARM
TrustZone technology ecosystem, we're making another
important step towards a solution. The aim is to make
security accessible and consistent for consumers and
business users across all computing devices."
The integration of an ARM processor is one of the first big steps from AMD in a plan to overhaul its chip design strategy. Under a new management team, AMD said in February it would change its design methodology to allow the integration of third-party intellectual property.
AMD's partnership with ARM could expand in the future to cover a wider range of technologies.
The ARM license is also AMD's way to catch up with Intel, which is integrating security features gained from its acquisition of McAfee last year.