Tweet collection on Secure Launch

It seems Hyper-V launch on 850/8cx is done via a mechanism called "Secure Launch", hmm

— Sunshine Biscuit at scale 🍪 (@imbushuo) October 8, 2020

They already gave up EL2 in Windows ARM’s case – a Hyper-V secure launch protocol for elevating to EL2 with verification and measurement is added in QCOM HYP since 850 and 855, also present in Android phones’ firmware

— Sunshine Biscuit at scale 🍪 (@imbushuo) November 23, 2020

Oh and also:

Forget about virtualisation on linux. Qualcomm uses a custom Secure Launch interface with a TCB loader to escalate from EL1 to EL2. Of course, Linux knows nothing about that. (UEFI runs @ el1)

— Longhorn (@never_released) February 28, 2022

On SD850/8cx, there’s a custom Secure Launch interface to escalate to EL2. That means that your UEFI FW is at EL1, and that other OSes stay at EL1 too.

— Longhorn (@never_released) March 5, 2021

I wouldn’t assume that Linux is a non-starter for somebody with too much time on their hands.

About KVM, going to bet that this is a Secure Launch device with no EL2 in UEFI until proven otherwise.

— Longhorn (@never_released) November 13, 2021

Secure launch is an abomination that no one wants.

— It's an Arm world (virtualized) (@WhatAintInside) August 8, 2021

Secure Launch requirements said firmware must keep existing EL1 code in place and make sure they are functional after elevation, so hmmm

— Sunshine Biscuit at scale 🍪 (@imbushuo) October 8, 2020

Will some details be published about the implementation of Secure Launch on Qualcomm processors?

Because that part is really missing in public docs.

— Longhorn (@never_released) June 1, 2022

Secure launch devices are capable of running Hyper-V, consequently capable of letting other OSVs navigate whatever chip limitations exist…

— It's an Arm world (virtualized) (@WhatAintInside) August 8, 2021