RETAA, RETAB

Return from subroutine, with pointer authentication

This instruction authenticates the address that is held in LR, using SP as the modifier and the specified key, and branches to the authenticated address.

Key A is used for RETAA. Key B is used for RETAB.

If the authentication passes, the PE continues execution at the target of the branch. For information on behavior if the authentication fails, see Faulting on pointer authentication.

The authenticated address is not written back to LR.

This instruction provides a hint that this is a subroutine return.

If FEAT_PAuth_LR is implemented and PSTATE.PACM is 1, then RETAA and RETAB include a second modifier that is in X16.

Integer
(FEAT_PAuth)

313029282726252423222120191817161514131211109876543210
110101100101111100001M1111111111
Zopop2ARnRm

Encoding for the RETAA variant

Applies when (M == 0)

RETAA

Encoding for the RETAB variant

Applies when (M == 1)

RETAB

Decode for all variants of this encoding

if !IsFeatureImplemented(FEAT_PAuth) then EndOfDecode(Decode_UNDEF); end; let use_key_a : boolean = (M == '0'); let auth_then_branch : boolean = TRUE;

Operation

var inst_type : GCSInstruction; var target : bits(64) = X{}(30); let modifier : bits(64) = SP{}(); var modifier2 : bits(64); var use_modifier2 : boolean = FALSE; if IsFeatureImplemented(FEAT_PAuth_LR) && PSTATE.PACM == '1' then modifier2 = X{64}(16); use_modifier2 = TRUE; end; if use_key_a then if use_modifier2 && IsFeatureImplemented(FEAT_PAuth_LR) then target = AuthIA2(target, modifier, modifier2, auth_then_branch); else target = AuthIA(target, modifier, auth_then_branch); end; else if use_modifier2 && IsFeatureImplemented(FEAT_PAuth_LR) then target = AuthIB2(target, modifier, modifier2, auth_then_branch); else target = AuthIB(target, modifier, auth_then_branch); end; end; if IsFeatureImplemented(FEAT_GCS) && GCSPCREnabled(PSTATE.EL) then inst_type = if use_key_a then GCSInstType_PRETAA else GCSInstType_PRETAB; target = LoadCheckGCSRecord(target, inst_type); SetCurrentGCSPointer(GetCurrentGCSPointer() + 8); end; // Value in BTypeNext will be used to set PSTATE.BTYPE BTypeNext = '00'; let branch_conditional : boolean = FALSE; BranchTo{64}(target, BranchType_RET, branch_conditional);


2026-03_rel 2026-03-26 20:48:11

Copyright © 2010-2026 Arm Limited or its affiliates. All rights reserved. This document is Non-Confidential.