# AMD Preparing Linux For Enhanced SMT Protection "ESMTP" For EPYC VMs

DevFeed: [AMD Preparing Linux For Enhanced SMT Protection "ESMTP" For EPYC VMs](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/amd-preparing-linux-for-enhanced-smt-protection-esmtp-for-epyc-vms-17440.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://www.phoronix.com/news/AMD-Enhanced-SMT-Protection>)

Author: Michael Larabel

Published: 2026-09-14T18:03:38Z

Content type: news

Language: en

Sources: [Phoronix](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/phoronix.md>)

Topics: [Linux](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/linux.md>), [Security](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/security.md>), [Hardware](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/hardware.md>), [cpu](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/cpu.md>), [Server](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/server.md>), [Cloud](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/cloud.md>)

Tags: [attacks](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/attacks.md>), [cloud](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/cloud.md>), [desktop-linux](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/desktop-linux.md>), [hardware](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/hardware.md>), [kernel](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/kernel.md>), [linux](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/linux.md>), [linux-benchmarking](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/linux-benchmarking.md>), [linux-hardware-benchmarks](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/linux-hardware-benchmarks.md>), [linux-hardware-reviews](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/linux-hardware-reviews.md>), [linux-how-to](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/linux-how-to.md>), [linux-performance](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/linux-performance.md>), [linux-server-benchmarks](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/linux-server-benchmarks.md>), [open-source-graphics](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/open-source-graphics.md>), [performance](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/performance.md>), [phoronix](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/phoronix.md>), [phoronix-test-suite](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/phoronix-test-suite.md>), [processors](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/processors.md>), [security](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/security.md>), [server](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/server.md>), [ubuntu-benchmarks](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ubuntu-benchmarks.md>), [ubuntu-hardware](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ubuntu-hardware.md>), [virtual-machines](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/virtual-machines.md>)

## AI overview

AMD engineers are preparing Linux kernel support for Enhanced SMT Protection (ESMTP), a hardware-enforced security feature for EPYC virtual machines using SEV-SNP. ESMTP restricts simultaneous multithreading sibling threads to trusted vCPUs from the same guest or idle host threads, reducing side-channel risks from untrusted host or guest workloads. Support is also needed in QEMU and OVMF, and the feature is opt-in because it has a performance cost.

## Source excerpt

AMD engineers today sent out patches on the Linux kernel mailing list for beginning to enable Enhanced SMT Protection "ESMTP" for better security with virtual machines running atop EPYC server processors with SEV-SNP...