Linux 5.12 Adds eMMC Inline Encryption For Better Performance, Lower Power Use

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Linux 5.12 Adds eMMC Inline Encryption For Better Performance, Lower Power Use

Thanks to Google engineers the Linux 5.12 kernel is providing punctual support for eMMC inline encryption that is being ratified with a forthcoming specification update and already being found within some mobile hardware...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Linux-5.12-eMMC-Inline-Encrypt

[elatllat]

So there is hardware accelerated encryption in the SOC and the eMMC now? That sounds ugly.

[chromer]

Someone Please tell me why kernel 5.11 has about 20 MB of size increase versus 5.10 ! It's huge size increase for a kernel release.
Link of 5.11.1 : https://archlinux.org/packages/core/x86_64/linux/
Link of 5.10.18 : https://archlinux.org/packages/testi..._64/linux-lts/

[wooptoo]

The article doesn't clearly explain what inline encryption actually is.
The kernel docs here do a better job

https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/block/inline-encryption.html

[RussianNeuroMancer]

How exactly UEFI read esp partition from the eMMC or UFS encrypted with this? Or it's work on per-partition basis? Does LUKS support it?

[discordian]

So there is hardware accelerated encryption in the SOC and the eMMC now? That sounds ugly.

Why? Perfect place to handle the data at its source, and don't use main RAM bandwidth for it.

[elatllat]

Why? Perfect place to handle the data at its source, and don't use main RAM bandwidth for it.

eMMCs have a significantly limited lifespan vs SOCs (in devices without built in obsolescence) so why pay for the crypto IP block 10 times instead of one?

[discordian]

eMMCs have a significantly limited lifespan vs SOCs (in devices without built in obsolescence) so why pay for the crypto IP block 10 times instead of one?

If you think NAND flash is deteriorating because of planned obsolescence, then you have no effin clue. What you you think an crypto IP block costs, especially considering you already have a RPMB with hashing and multiple boot partitions that you likely don't use?
Same shit as asking why SSDs come with DDR Ram.

[elatllat]

Someone Please tell me why kernel 5.11 has about 20 MB of size increase versus 5.10 ! It's huge size increase for a kernel release.
Link of 5.11.1 : https://archlinux.org/packages/core/x86_64/linux/
Link of 5.10.18 : https://archlinux.org/packages/testi..._64/linux-lts/

Did you check for config changes?
Also often drivers for hardware you don't use are huge, my 5.10 is 40MB vs the 90MB arch offers, and that's with zfs and a lot of non-default config added.

[elatllat]

If you think NAND flash is deteriorating because of planned obsolescence..

No; I think everything android and apple has planned software obsolescence. When eMMC is used outside of that market, is where adding pointless features (like [in]secure partitions and redundant crypto hardware) impacts consumers.