Abstract: An apparatus and method for tagged memory management.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for executing an atomic test and update instruction. For example, one embodiment of a processor comprises: a decoder to decode an atomic test and update (ATU) instruction having a first operand specifying a first value in a first storage location, a second operand specifying a second value in a second storage location, a third operand specifying a third value in a third storage location, and an opcode specifying a condition to be tested relative to the first and second values; and execution circuitry to perform a load lock operation to load the first value from the first storage location, the load lock operation to prevent access by another instruction before a result of the ATU instruction is stored, the execution circuitry to test a condition related the first value and the second value, wherein if the condition is met then the execution circuitry is to add the first value and the third value to generate a sum and to store the sum to the first storage location.

Abstract: One embodiment provides an apparatus. The apparatus includes a linear address space, metadata logic and enhanced address space layout randomization (ASLR) logic. The linear address space includes a metadata data structure. The metadata logic is to generate a metadata value. The enhanced ASLR logic is to combine the metadata value and a linear address into an address pointer and to store the metadata value to the metadata data structure at a location pointed to by a least a portion of the linear address. The address pointer corresponds to an apparent address in an enhanced address space. A size of the enhanced address space is greater than a size of the linear address space.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses relating to instructions to compartmentalize memory accesses and execution (e.g., non-speculative and speculative) are described.

Abstract: Implementations of using tiles for caching are detailed In some implementations, an instruction execution circuitry executes one or more instructions, a register state cache coupled to the instruction execution circuitry holds thread register state in a plurality of registers, and backing storage pointer storage stores a backing storage pointer, wherein the backing storage pointer is to reference a state backing storage area in external memory to store the thread register state stored in the register state cache.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses relating to memory corruption detection are described. In one embodiment, a hardware processor includes an execution unit to execute an instruction to request access to a block of a memory through a pointer to the block of the memory, and a memory management unit to allow access to the block of the memory when a memory corruption detection value in the pointer is validated with a memory corruption detection value in the memory for the block, wherein a position of the memory corruption detection value in the pointer is selectable between a first location and a second, different location.

Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms for circuitry of a processor to automatically provide, and perform an operation based on, metadata indicating an uninitialized memory block. In an embodiment, processor circuitry detects a software instruction which specifies a first operation to be performed based on some data at a memory block. Metadata corresponding to said data comprises an identifier of whether the data is based on an uninitialized memory condition. Processing of the instruction, includes the processor circuitry automatically performing a second operation based on the identifier. The second operation is performed independent of any instruction of the application which specifies the second operation. In another embodiment, execution of the instruction (if any) is conditional upon an evaluation which is based on the state identifier, or the second operation is automatically performed based on an execution of the first instruction.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods and apparatuses for hardware load hardening are disclosed. In an embodiment, a processor includes safe logic, data forwarding hardware, and data fetching hardware. The safe logic is to determine whether a load is safe. The data forwarding hardware is to, in response to a determination that the load is safe, forward data requested by the load. The data fetching logic is to fetch the data requested by the load, regardless of the determination that the load is safe.

Abstract: Embodiments of systems, methods, and apparatuses for heterogeneous computing are described. In some embodiments, a hardware heterogeneous scheduler dispatches instructions for execution on one or more plurality of heterogeneous processing elements, the instructions corresponding to a code fragment to be processed by the one or more of the plurality of heterogeneous processing elements, wherein the instructions are native instructions to at least one of the one or more of the plurality of heterogeneous processing elements.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for defending against cross-privilege linear access are described. For example, an implementation of an apparatus comprising privilege level storage to store a current privilege level and address check circuitry coupled to the privilege level storage, wherein the address check circuitry is to determine whether a linear address associated with an instruction is allowed to access a partition of a linear address space of the apparatus based upon a comparison of the current privilege level and a most significant bit of the linear address is described.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments relate to spatial and temporal merging of remote atomic operations.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses relating to memory corruption detection are described. In one embodiment, a hardware processor includes an execution unit to execute an instruction to request access to a block of a memory through a pointer to the block of the memory, and a memory management unit to allow access to the block of the memory when a memory corruption detection value in the pointer is validated with a memory corruption detection value in the memory for the block, wherein a position of the memory corruption detection value in the pointer is selectable between a first location and a second, different location.

Abstract: Apparatus, method, and system for implementing a software-transparent hardware predictor for core-to-core data communication optimization are described herein. An embodiment of the apparatus includes a plurality of hardware processor cores each including a private cache; a shared cache that is communicatively coupled to and shared by the plurality of hardware processor cores; and a predictor circuit. The predictor circuit is to track activities relating to a plurality of monitored cache lines in the private cache of a producer hardware processor core (producer core) and to enable a cache line push operation upon determining a target hardware processor core (target core) based on the tracked activities. An execution of the cache line push operation is to cause a plurality of unmonitored cache lines in the private cache of the producer core to be moved to the private cache of the target core.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods and apparatuses for restricted speculative execution are disclosed. In an embodiment, a processor includes configuration storage, an execution circuit, and a controller. The configuration storage is to store an indicator to enable a restricted speculative execution mode of operation of the processor, wherein the processor is to restrict speculative execution when operating in restricted speculative execution mode. The execution circuit is to perform speculative execution. The controller to restrict speculative execution by the execution circuit when the restricted speculative execution mode is enabled.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for a hardware and software system to automatically decompose a program into multiple parallel threads are described. In some embodiments, the systems and apparatuses execute a method of original code decomposition and/or generated thread execution.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for executing an atomic test and update instruction. For example, one embodiment of a processor comprises: a decoder to decode an atomic test and update (ATU) instruction having a first operand specifying a first value in a first storage location, a second operand specifying a second value in a second storage location, a third operand specifying a third value in a third storage location, and an opcode specifying a condition to be tested relative to the first and second values; and execution circuitry to perform a load lock operation to load the first value from the first storage location, the load lock operation to prevent access by another instruction before a result of the ATU instruction is stored, the execution circuitry to test a condition related the first value and the second value, wherein if the condition is met then the execution circuitry is to add the first value and the third value to generate a sum and to store the sum to the first storage location.

Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms for circuitry of a processor to automatically provide, and perform an operation based on, metadata indicating an uninitialized memory block. In an embodiment, processor circuitry detects a software instruction which specifies a first operation to be performed based on some data at a memory block. Metadata corresponding to said data comprises an identifier of whether the data is based on an uninitialized memory condition. Processing of the instruction, includes the processor circuitry automatically performing a second operation based on the identifier. The second operation is performed independent of any instruction of the application which specifies the second operation. In another embodiment, execution of the instruction (if any) is conditional upon an evaluation which is based on the state identifier, or the second operation is automatically performed based on an execution of the first instruction.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses relating to mitigations for speculative execution side channels are described. Speculative execution hardware and environments that utilize the mitigations are also described. For example, three indirect branch control mechanisms and their associated hardware are discussed herein: (i) indirect branch restricted speculation (IBRS) to restrict speculation of indirect branches, (ii) single thread indirect branch predictors (STIBP) to prevent indirect branch predictions from being controlled by a sibling thread, and (iii) indirect branch predictor barrier (IBPB) to prevent indirect branch predictions after the barrier from being controlled by software executed before the barrier.

Abstract: Apparatus, method, and system for implementing a software-transparent hardware predictor for core-to-core data communication optimization are described herein. An embodiment of the apparatus includes a plurality of hardware processor cores each including a private cache; a shared cache that is communicatively coupled to and shared by the plurality of hardware processor cores; and a predictor circuit. The predictor circuit is to track activities relating to a plurality of monitored cache lines in the private cache of a producer hardware processor core (producer core) and to enable a cache line push operation upon determining a target hardware processor core (target core) based on the tracked activities. An execution of the cache line push operation is to cause a plurality of unmonitored cache lines in the private cache of the producer core to be moved to the private cache of the target core.

Abstract: A snapshot prefetcher to perform snapshot prefetching to improve performance of snapshot read operations. An apparatus embodiment includes a snapshot read tracking circuitry to track snapshot read requests made by a first processor core to read a plurality of cache lines, and to detect a snapshot read access stream based on the tracked snapshot read requests. A snapshot prefetch issuing circuitry of the apparatus to issue, based on the detected snapshot read access stream, one or more snapshot prefetch requests, including a first snapshot prefetch request to prefetch data from a first cache line stored in, and owned exclusively by, a first storage location outside the first processor core. The snapshot prefetch issuing circuitry further to store the prefetched data in a second storage location within the first processor core, wherein after the prefetch, exclusive ownership of the first cache line is to remain with the first storage location.