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Software Guard Extensions
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<p>Intel Software Guard Extensions (SGX) is a set of <a href="/facts/Instruction_code/UaLMp56C">instruction codes</a> implementing <a href="/facts/Trusted_execution_environment/CAvpc5xs">trusted execution environment</a> that are built into some <a href="/facts/Intel/SMF0gJJX">Intel</a> <a href="/facts/Central_processing_unit/Jxp1bqMV">central processing units</a> (CPUs). They allow <a href="/facts/User-level/0yIzMY8t">user-level</a> and <a href="/facts/Operating_system/8XTuvMh2">operating system</a> code to define protected private regions of memory, called <i>enclaves</i>. SGX is designed to be useful for implementing secure <a href="/facts/Remote_desktop_software/gJgglwht">remote computation</a>, secure <a href="/facts/Web_browsing/VRatDzlP">web browsing</a>, and <a href="/facts/Digital_rights_management/4AF8JmDt">digital rights management</a> (DRM). Other applications include concealment of <a href="/facts/Proprietary_software/9zcskxYL">proprietary algorithms</a> and of <a href="/facts/Encryption_key/5W5PAmT4">encryption keys</a>. </p><p>SGX involves <a href="/facts/Encryption/16q29Fdv">encryption</a> by the CPU of a portion of memory (the <i>enclave</i>). Data and code originating in the enclave are <a href="/facts/Decryption/16q29Fdv">decrypted</a> <a href="/facts/On_the_fly/kx4wcAPS">on the fly</a> <i>within</i> the CPU, protecting them from being examined or read by other code, including code running at higher <a href="/facts/Privilege_level/27y4kjHs">privilege levels</a> such as the <a href="/facts/Operating_system/8XTuvMh2">operating system</a> and any underlying <a href="/facts/Hypervisor/3gX9fKlH">hypervisors</a>. While this can mitigate many kinds of attacks, it does not protect against <a href="/facts/Side-channel_attack/2B1dfBty">side-channel attacks</a>. </p><p>A pivot by Intel in 2021 resulted in the deprecation of SGX from the 11th and 12th generation <a href="/facts/Intel_Core/lwa8VSdT">Intel Core</a> processors, but development continues on Intel Xeon for cloud and enterprise use. </p>