You can disable certain features (like fTPM) in the BIOS, but the PSP itself is hardwired into the silicon. It is the first thing that executes on power-on.

The PSP vs. ME debate is basically: Which flavor of proprietary pre-boot processor do you distrust less? For 99% of users: No. The PSP works silently in the background, enabling Windows 11 compatibility, protecting against firmware attacks, and providing hardware-rooted security. You will never interact with it directly.

BIOS vs. PSP: The Hidden Processor Watching Your PC Boot

Let’s open the hood. Before we dive into the shadowy world of the PSP, let's ground ourselves.

You’ve heard of the BIOS. But do you know about the miniature ARM computer hiding inside your AMD chipset? Introduction: The Second Computer You Never Knew You Owned When you power on your PC, you instinctively know the drill: the BIOS (or its modern UEFI counterpart) initializes your hardware, runs a Power-On Self Test (POST), and hands off control to your operating system.

The PSP is a . AMD provides the binary firmware, but the source code is a secret. Security researchers and open-source purists (especially the coreboot and libreboot communities) have a visceral reaction to the PSP.

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.