Cheap Hardware Module Bypasses AMD, Intel Memory Encryption

Researchers from KU Leuven and the University of Birmingham have developed a low-cost hardware module, dubbed "Battering RAM," that can bypass memory encryption protections in AMD and Intel processors. This device, costing under $50, allows attackers with physical access to exfiltrate sensitive data from cloud servers by manipulating memory addresses.

The research highlights vulnerabilities in current confidential computing architectures, which, while improved, have sacrificed some security features for performance. The findings suggest that without robust memory encryption protections, the risk of physical attacks on cloud infrastructure remains significant.