It’s called the . You might know its infamous nickname: “the Fuck You, Pay Me” chip—or more commonly, the AMD Secure Processor.
BIOS vs. PSP: The Hidden Processor Watching Your PC Boot bios psp
Modern computing has traded absolute control for platform security . The BIOS is no longer the lowest level of your system. The PSP is. It’s called the
Your main PC is a busy city. The PSP is the fortified security bunker underground that starts running before the city even turns on the lights . PSP: The Hidden Processor Watching Your PC Boot
The only way to truly remove the PSP is to use an old, pre-2013 AMD platform (e.g., AM3+ with a Bulldozer CPU) or a non-x86 architecture (like RISC-V or POWER9). Even then, you lose modern performance and security features. If you’re an Intel user, don’t feel smug. Intel’s Management Engine (ME) is the same concept—an ARC processor inside the PCH that runs before your BIOS. In fact, Intel’s ME is older (2008) and historically more powerful (it has network access even when your PC is "off").
Yes. The PSP is a supply chain risk . A compromised PSP could surveil everything: encryption keys, passwords, network traffic, and even microphone data—with zero detection from your antivirus.