Google's Pixel 11 Series Devices Criticized for Lack of Essential Security Feature

The GrapheneOS team has refused to adapt their system for Google's new Pixel 11 series devices, calling them 'insecure'. The reason behind this decision lies in the removal of a hardware security mechanism called MTE (Memory Tagging Extension) from the Tensor G6 processor used in these devices.

MTE is designed by ARM and allows users to control app permissions independently. It adds a 'tag' to all memory addresses, checking if they match before writing to them, thus preventing malicious software from exploiting memory vulnerabilities.

Google originally included MTE in their Tensor G3 processor but removed it in the Tensor G6, citing cost savings and performance improvement as reasons. However, tests show that enabling MTE on some CPUs can cause a significant performance penalty, up to 80% in certain cases.

The removal of MTE may indicate Google's insufficient capability in chip design or be related to controversy surrounding the feature. While MTE is effective against advanced spy programs, it cannot defend against most viruses and malicious software that rely on user misoperation to function.