News Report: Linux Creator Linus Torvalds Criticizes AMD FTPM Security Module
Creator of Linux, Linus Torvalds, has criticized the AMD FTPM (Firmware-Based Trusted Platform Module) security module, recommending its disablement for hardware generation of random numbers. Torvalds suggests using the CPU RDRAND instructions instead, as they do not cause similar problems like ftpm. His statement was made in response to constant reports about failures of the FTPM random numbers in both Windows and Linux systems.
These problems were first observed last year and despite attempts to correct the core, it seems a complete solution to the problem has not been achieved. The Linux 6.3-RC2 update included a bypass to address the issue, which was also applied to earlier versions.
PCs with Ryzen processors, in particular, have been heavily impacted by this problem. Users have experienced system stuttering, leading to temporary pauses in response. In response to a new error report related to AMD Rembrandt processors, some users have reached out to ASUS to update their BIOS and disable ftpm in order to resolve the stuttering issue.
It is currently unclear how AMD plans to solve this problem, but it is hoped that Torvalds’ intervention will encourage a more serious approach toward resolving the error quickly.