Intel GPU SGX - Store your data on the graphics card. With a guarantee
Intel Xe graphics card with SGX GPU support
From the very moment that Intel announces that it will develop its discrete video card, all progressive humanity has been waiting for plans to start transforming into something tangible. Little technical details are known so far, however today we can report something specific and also important. It became known that the future Intel video card will support technology similar to Intel SGX for super reliable storage of critical content - it is called the SGX GPU.
About Intel Software Guard Extensions technology, we recalled recently in connection with the release of Intel SGX Card . Intel SGX Extensions are a set of CPU instructions that enable applications to create enclaves, protected areas in the application's address space, which ensure confidentiality and integrity even in the presence of malicious programs with privileged rights.
But you need to protect not only the executable code, but also user data. Legions of cybercriminals day and night dream of how to steal your photos, and then erase or encrypt them. How not to be left without the most important memories? Intel SGX, in its version of the SGX GPU, may also come to the rescue. In this case, it works as follows.
The key role in this technology, as the name implies, is played by the graphics processor. “What does a graphics card have to do with it when it comes to data storage?” - you might ask. The fact is that with all due respect to Intel SGX, the processors supporting this technology are many times less than not supporting. Therefore, it was decided to transfer the execution of SGX-dependent code to the GPU, similar to how it was done in the already mentioned Intel SGX Card. The video card also has one more advantage: its design makes it possible to place a rather large amount of flash memory on it, which can be used as a local secure storage.
The principle of operation of the SGX GPU is as follows. Photos of your favorite dog, as well as other especially important data, are placed on the local storage of the video card using special Intel software. Intel SGX Protection works at the file system driver level. Further, the same special software synchronizes the contents of the storage with the cloud service in one of the selected user modes. Unlike other cloud services, the Intel client cannot be compromised, as it places sensitive areas of code in SGX enclaves. Thus, your data receives several degrees of protection against theft and destruction.
And what will happen if Intel software for some reason stops working and the data is literally locked in its storage? Intel intends to share its technology with third parties through rigorous certification and control. So there will be an alternative. Well, the system itself will appear on the market not earlier than the appearance of video cards directly - the timing is still vague. But we will wait.
Just in case, we note especially that this is an April Fools' Day post.
