New Attack Targets DDR5 Memory to Steal Keys From Intel and AMD TEEs

A team of academic researchers has disclosed details of a new attack method that can break CPU-based security technologies from Intel and AMD by targeting DDR5 memory. The attack, named TEE[.]fail, was discovered by researchers from Purdue University and Georgia Institute of Technology and requires physical access to the targeted system.

It involves soldering an interposer between the computer’s CPU and memory to analyse DRAM bus traffic, enabling attackers to extract cryptographic keys from Intel TDX and AMD SEV-SNP trusted execution environment implementations, and potentially attestation keys for Nvidia’s GPU confidential computing. The interposer costs under $1,000 if off-the-shelf components are used, and TEE[.]fail is related to earlier interposer-based attacks such as WireTap and Battering RAM, though it targets DDR5 rather than DDR4.

Both Intel and AMD have published advisories in response to the research, noting that attacks requiring physical access fall outside their products’ threat models. According to Intel and AMD advisories, the researchers emphasise the confidential computing protections involved in CVMs and their implications for GPU attestation.