Abstract: Embodiments of an invention for protecting supervisor mode information are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a storage location, instruction hardware, execution hardware, and control logic. The storage location is to store an indicator to enable supervisor mode information protection. The instruction hardware is to receive an instruction to access supervisor mode information. The execution hardware is to execute the instruction. The control logic is to prevent execution of the instruction if supervisor mode information protection is enabled and a current privilege level is less privileged than a supervisor mode.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a system for address mapping and translation protection. In one embodiment, processing circuitry may include a virtual machine manager (VMM) to control specific guest linear address (GLA) translations. Control may be implemented in a performance sensitive and secure manner, and may be capable of improving performance for critical linear address page walks over legacy operation by removing some or all of the cost of page walking extended page tables (EPTs) for critical mappings. Alone or in combination with the above, certain portions of a page table structure may be selectively made immutable by a VMM or early boot process using a sub-page policy (SPP). For example, SPP may enable non-volatile kernel and/or user space code and data virtual-to-physical memory mappings to be made immutable (e.g., non-writable) while allowing for modifications to non-protected portions of the OS paging structures and particularly the user space.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a processor includes multiple processing engines and a power control unit. The power control unit is to: maintain a first utilization metric for a first processing engine; detect a thread transfer from a first processing engine to a second processing engine; and generate, using the first utilization metric for the first processing engine, a second utilization metric for a second processing engine. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a system for address mapping and translation protection. In one embodiment, processing circuitry may include a virtual machine manager (VMM) to control specific guest linear address (GLA) translations. Control may be implemented in a performance sensitive and secure manner, and may be capable of improving performance for critical linear address page walks over legacy operation by removing some or all of the cost of page walking extended page tables (EPTs) for critical mappings. Alone or in combination with the above, certain portions of a page table structure may be selectively made immutable by a VMM or early boot process using a sub-page policy (SPP). For example, SPP may enable non-volatile kernel and/or user space code and data virtual-to-physical memory mappings to be made immutable (e.g., non-writable) while allowing for modifications to non-protected portions of the OS paging structures and particularly the user space.

Abstract: A processor of an aspect includes a decode unit to decode a user-level suspend thread instruction that is to indicate a first alternate state. The processor also includes an execution unit coupled with the decode unit. The execution unit is to perform the instruction at a user privilege level. The execution unit in response to the instruction, is to: (a) suspend execution of a user-level thread, from which the instruction is to have been received; (b) transition a logical processor, on which the user-level thread was to have been running, to the indicated first alternate state; and (c) resume the execution of the user-level thread, when the logical processor is in the indicated first alternate state, with a latency that is to be less than half a latency that execution of a thread can be resumed when the logical processor is in a halt processor power state.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a system for address mapping and translation protection. In one embodiment, processing circuitry may include a virtual machine manager (VMM) to control specific guest linear address (GLA) translations. Control may be implemented in a performance sensitive and secure manner, and may be capable of improving performance for critical linear address page walks over legacy operation by removing some or all of the cost of page walking extended page tables (EPTs) for critical mappings. Alone or in combination with the above, certain portions of a page table structure may be selectively made immutable by a VMM or early boot process using a sub-page policy (SPP). For example, SPP may enable non-volatile kernel and/or user space code and data virtual-to-physical memory mappings to be made immutable (e.g., non-writable) while allowing for modifications to non-protected portions of the OS paging structures and particularly the user space.

Abstract: Embodiments of an invention for protecting supervisor mode information are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a storage location, instruction hardware, execution hardware, and control logic. The storage location is to store an indicator to enable supervisor mode information protection. The instruction hardware is to receive an instruction to access supervisor mode information. The execution hardware is to execute the instruction. The control logic is to prevent execution of the instruction if supervisor mode information protection is enabled and a current privilege level is less privileged than a supervisor mode.

Abstract: A processor of an aspect includes a decode unit to decode a user-level suspend thread instruction that is to indicate a first alternate state. The processor also includes an execution unit coupled with the decode unit. The execution unit is to perform the instruction at a user privilege level. The execution unit in response to the instruction, is to: (a) suspend execution of a user-level thread, from which the instruction is to have been received; (b) transition a logical processor, on which the user-level thread was to have been running, to the indicated first alternate state; and (c) resume the execution of the user-level thread, when the logical processor is in the indicated first alternate state, with a latency that is to be less than half a latency that execution of a thread can be resumed when the logical processor is in a halt processor power state.

Abstract: Embodiments of an invention for protecting supervisor mode information are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a storage location, instruction hardware, execution hardware, and control logic. The storage location is to store an indicator to enable supervisor mode information protection. The instruction hardware is to receive an instruction to access supervisor mode information. The execution hardware is to execute the instruction. The control logic is to prevent execution of the instruction if supervisor mode information protection is enabled and a current privilege level is less privileged than a supervisor mode.

Abstract: Embodiments of an invention for protecting supervisor mode information are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a storage location, instruction hardware, execution hardware, and control logic. The storage location is to store an indicator to enable supervisor mode information protection. The instruction hardware is to receive an instruction to access supervisor mode information. The execution hardware is to execute the instruction. The control logic is to prevent execution of the instruction if supervisor mode information protection is enabled and a current privilege level is less privileged than a supervisor mode.

Abstract: Embodiments of an invention for protecting supervisor mode information are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a storage location, instruction hardware, execution hardware, and control logic. The storage location is to store an indicator to enable supervisor mode information protection. The instruction hardware is to receive an instruction to access supervisor mode information. The execution hardware is to execute the instruction. The control logic is to prevent execution of the instruction if supervisor mode information protection is enabled and a current privilege level is less privileged than a supervisor mode.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a processor includes multiple processing engines and a power control unit. The power control unit is to: maintain a first utilization metric for a first processing engine; detect a thread transfer from a first processing engine to a second processing engine; and generate, using the first utilization metric for the first processing engine, a second utilization metric for a second processing engine. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a system for address mapping and translation protection. In one embodiment, processing circuitry may include a virtual machine manager (VMM) to control specific guest linear address (GLA) translations. Control may be implemented in a performance sensitive and secure manner, and may be capable of improving performance for critical linear address page walks over legacy operation by removing some or all of the cost of page walking extended page tables (EPTs) for critical mappings. Alone or in combination with the above, certain portions of a page table structure may be selectively made immutable by a VMM or early boot process using a sub-page policy (SPP). For example, SPP may enable non-volatile kernel and/or user space code and data virtual-to-physical memory mappings to be made immutable (e.g., non-writable) while allowing for modifications to non-protected portions of the OS paging structures and particularly the user space.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a system for address mapping and translation protection. In one embodiment, processing circuitry may include a virtual machine manager (VMM) to control specific guest linear address (GLA) translations. Control may be implemented in a performance sensitive and secure manner, and may be capable of improving performance for critical linear address page walks over legacy operation by removing some or all of the cost of page walking extended page tables (EPTs) for critical mappings. Alone or in combination with the above, certain portions of a page table structure may be selectively made immutable by a VMM or early boot process using a sub-page policy (SPP). For example, SPP may enable non-volatile kernel and/or user space code and data virtual-to-physical memory mappings to be made immutable (e.g., non-writable) while allowing for modifications to non-protected portions of the OS paging structures and particularly the user space.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a system for address mapping and translation protection. In one embodiment, processing circuitry may include a virtual machine manager (VMM) to control specific guest linear address (GLA) translations. Control may be implemented in a performance sensitive and secure manner, and may be capable of improving performance for critical linear address page walks over legacy operation by removing some or all of the cost of page walking extended page tables (EPTs) for critical mappings. Alone or in combination with the above, certain portions of a page table structure may be selectively made immutable by a VMM or early boot process using a sub-page policy (SPP). For example, SPP may enable non-volatile kernel and/or user space code and data virtual-to-physical memory mappings to be made immutable (e.g., non-writable) while allowing for modifications to non-protected portions of the OS paging structures and particularly the user space.

Abstract: Processor, method, and system for reducing latency in accessing remote registers is described herein. One embodiment of a processor includes one or more remote registers and remote register access circuitry. The remote register access circuitry is to detect a request from the requestor to access a first register of the one or more remote registers, access to the first register in accordance to the request without the requestor having to wait for completion of the access, and provide a notification accessible to the requestor upon completion of the access to the first register of the one or more remote registers.

Abstract: Implementations of the disclosure provide for supporting oversubscription of guest enclave memory pages. In one implementation, a processing device comprising a memory controller unit to access a secure enclave and a processor core, operatively coupled to the memory controller unit. The processing device is to identify a target memory page in memory. The target memory page is associated with a secure enclave of a virtual machine (VM). A data structure comprising context information corresponding to the target memory page is received. A state of the target memory page is determined based on the received data structure. The state indicating whether the target memory page is associated with at least one of: a child memory page or a parent memory page of the VM. Thereupon, an instruction to evict the target memory page from the secure enclave is generated based on the determined state.

Abstract: A processor of an aspect includes a decode unit to decode an instruction. The instruction to indicate a first structure in a protected container memory and to indicate a second structure in the protected container memory. The processor also includes an execution unit coupled with the decode unit. The execution unit, in response to the instruction, is to determine whether a status indicator is configured to allow at least one key to be exchanged between the first and second structures, and is to exchange the at least one key between the first and second structures when the status indicator is configured to allow the at least one key to be exchanged between the first and second structures.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a processor includes multiple processing engines and a power control unit. The power control unit is to: maintain a first utilization metric for a first processing engine; detect a thread transfer from a first processing engine to a second processing engine; and generate, using the first utilization metric for the first processing engine, a second utilization metric for a second processing engine. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Embodiments of an invention for protecting supervisor mode information are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a storage location, instruction hardware, execution hardware, and control logic. The storage location is to store an indicator to enable supervisor mode information protection. The instruction hardware is to receive an instruction to access supervisor mode information. The execution hardware is to execute the instruction. The control logic is to prevent execution of the instruction if supervisor mode information protection is enabled and a current privilege level is less privileged than a supervisor mode.