Massive chip flaw affects security on almost all CPUs in the last decade

Massive chip flaw not limited to Intel

Intel is dealing with a major chip bug, but full impact unclear

How to protect your PC from the major Meltdown and Spectre CPU flaws

Intel's full statement:

Intel and other technology companies have been made aware of new security research describing software analysis methods that, when used for malicious purposes, have the potential to improperly gather sensitive data from computing devices that are operating as designed. Intel believes these exploits do not have the potential to corrupt, modify or delete data.

Recent reports that these exploits are caused by a "bug" or a "flaw" and are unique to Intel products are incorrect. Based on the analysis to date, many types of computing devices - with many different vendors' processors and operating systems - are susceptible to these exploits.

Intel is committed to product and customer security and is working closely with many other technology companies, including AMD, ARM Holdings and several operating system vendors, to develop an industry-wide approach to resolve this issue promptly and constructively. Intel has begun providing software and firmware updates to mitigate these exploits. Contrary to some reports, any performance impacts are workload-dependent, and, for the average computer user, should not be significant and will be mitigated over time.

Intel is committed to the industry best practice of responsible disclosure of potential security issues, which is why Intel and other vendors had planned to disclose this issue next week when more software and firmware updates will be available. However, Intel is making this statement today because of the current inaccurate media reports.

Check with your operating system vendor or system manufacturer and apply any available updates as soon as they are available. Following good security practices that protect against malware in general will also help protect against possible exploitation until updates can be applied.

Intel believes its products are the most secure in the world and that, with the support of its partners, the current solutions to this issue provide the best possible security for its customers.

Reply to
Harry Newton
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You have to love that last sentence. Note that it doesn't include "access", "copy", "make use of", etc. So far I haven't seen anyone say they know how to actually use the new hole to do anything though.

Reply to
trader_4

Simple solution. QUIT USING THE INTERNET!!!

Reply to
123

Microsoft has almost 15 years to secure Windows XP. Could not do it. Now they said Windows 10 would be secure. Ha. Ha. Now seems like even the processor chips are not even secure.

Anyone that has been involved with computers at all knows that there is no secure system. You just have to take your chances with it and hope for the best.

I have been involved with computers from about the time that Radio Shack came out with their first ones. Nothing is secure if there is any way for someone else to access the system.

Reply to
Ralph Mowery

I think a computer is "secure" like a border is secure. If nobody tries to cross it, it's secure. If someone tries to cross it - but you put a guard there, it's secure. If tanks try to cross it - but you put tanks there, it's secure.

It's an escalating level of secure...I think.

Reply to
Harry Newton

This article on why the Raspberry Pi isn't affected is a great primer on the problem set!

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Reply to
Harry Newton

Tis true been in the computer business since they had tubes in them and any truly secure system ran on leased lines. even then, they were encrypted. A Carter era ATM ran 16 BYTE encryption Even though bytes

8-f may have been 01 23 45 67 89 AB CD EF (not a bank that is still in business so I think the secret is safe)
Reply to
gfretwell

I ran the test and got a bunch of equivocation back, meaning they don't have any idea.

Reply to
T

Great description here:

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Paraphrased:

Meltdown melts security down between program and hardware. Spectre speculative execution tricks program access to app memory.

Lots of detail, papers, links for every operating system, etc.

Reply to
Harry Newton

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