
AMD Releases AGESA ComboAM5 1.2.0.3e to Patch fTPM Vulnerability
AMD began rolling out its latest AGESA ComboAM5 microcode for Socket AM5 platforms, as confirmed by an ASUS BIOS update for its ROG Crosshair X870E Hero motherboard. The company will likely get motherboard vendors and prebuilt OEMs to release BIOS updates with the new AGESA 1.2.0.3e microcode for both AMD 600-series and AMD 800-series chipset motherboards. Version 1.2.0.3e patches a security vulnerability with the firmware TPM (fTPM) component needed to establish a hardware root of trust. This is also a minimum system requirement for Windows 11. The vulnerability discovered by Trusted Computing Group, involves an OOB (out of bounds) read method that could compromise the root of trust.
Interestingly, the ASUS change-log mentions that AGESA 1.2.0.3e introduces support for an "upcoming CPU." We know from older reports that this upcoming CPU is the Ryzen 9000G "Gorgon Point" desktop APU. These processors are based on the 4 nm "Gorgon Point" monolithic silicon, which is a revision of "Strix Point," similar to how "Hawk Point" was to "Phoenix Point." There are no changes to the IP of either the CPU complex, or the iGPU, or even the NPU, but updates to their clock speeds or boosting algorithm. The CPU consists of two CCX, one with four "Zen 5" cores sharing a 16 MB L3 cache; and the other with eight "Zen 5c" cores sharing an 8 MB L3 cache. The iGPU is based on the RDNA 3.5 graphics architecture, and comes with 16 compute units. The NPU is based on XDNA 2, and offers at least 50 AI TOPS, giving the chip Microsoft Copilot+ local acceleration capability. The PCIe complex is Gen 4, and the main PEG interface is narrowed down to PCI-Express 4.0 x8.
Interestingly, the ASUS change-log mentions that AGESA 1.2.0.3e introduces support for an "upcoming CPU." We know from older reports that this upcoming CPU is the Ryzen 9000G "Gorgon Point" desktop APU. These processors are based on the 4 nm "Gorgon Point" monolithic silicon, which is a revision of "Strix Point," similar to how "Hawk Point" was to "Phoenix Point." There are no changes to the IP of either the CPU complex, or the iGPU, or even the NPU, but updates to their clock speeds or boosting algorithm. The CPU consists of two CCX, one with four "Zen 5" cores sharing a 16 MB L3 cache; and the other with eight "Zen 5c" cores sharing an 8 MB L3 cache. The iGPU is based on the RDNA 3.5 graphics architecture, and comes with 16 compute units. The NPU is based on XDNA 2, and offers at least 50 AI TOPS, giving the chip Microsoft Copilot+ local acceleration capability. The PCIe complex is Gen 4, and the main PEG interface is narrowed down to PCI-Express 4.0 x8.