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Major Security Flaw Found in 'Virtually All' Intel CPUs

A major security vulnerability and performance issue has been discovered in virtually all Intel chipsets, researchers and analysts warn. A fundamental design flaw in Intel's processor chips has forced the company to undergo a significant redesign of the Linux and Windows kernels to resolve the chip-level security bug. Linux and Windows programmers are busy working on updates that should resolve the security vulnerability, but could result in a performance hit for Intel chipsets upwards of 30%.

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Specific details of the vulnerability are under embargo until later this month.

Generally however, it is believed that the bug has existed in many Intel products for the better part of the last decade. It's also believed that the security flaw within the Intel chipsets could be (ab)used to allow programs to gain access to user passwords, login metadata and other "protected information" on the impacted computer.

While Windows and Linux can be patched via software and should be soon (again, albeit with a performance hit), reports indicate that Apple's 64-bit macOS can't be resolved with a microcode update, resulting in Apple either needing to fix the problem via software at the OS level, or users going out and getting a new Intel chipset.

"The fix is to separate the kernel's memory completely from user processes using what's called Kernel Page Table Isolation, or KPTI," a report in the Register says of the resolution. "At one point, Forcefully Unmap Complete Kernel With Interrupt Trampolines, aka FUCKWIT, was mulled by the Linux kernel team, giving you an idea of how annoying this has been for the developers."

Those interested can find a little more detail via this thread in our security forum. Full details on the flaw are expected to be released in a week or two once most OS patches are closer to completion (patches for the Linux kernel are already available, though the notes tap dance around the true nature of the flaw).

Most recommended from 61 comments



Economist
The economy, stupid
Premium Member
join:2015-07-10
united state

21 recommendations

Economist

Premium Member

Lawyers are foaming at the mouth...

How many processors does this affect? Enough to make lawyers filthy rich with the wave of class action suits coming shortly. But, end users can expect a $5 coupon off their next Intel purchase.

Zenit_IIfx
The system is the solution
Premium Member
join:2012-05-07
Purcellville, VA
·Comcast XFINITY

2 edits

14 recommendations

Zenit_IIfx

Premium Member

Glad I have old hardware



Glad the old 40mhz Motorola 68030 in my Macintosh IIfx isn't impacted. Old tech can be a shelter from modern chaos. How can Intel screw up designing a memory management unit? They have been around since the 80's.

I just built a "new" Skylake machine in January 2016. Now I can look forward to massive performance penalties? I should have waited for Ryzen and stuck with my AMD Phenom II system for longer. I got impatient and tired of my office being hot in the summer.

This news should be good news for AMD stockholders but Cramier is out there on CNBC telling people that Intel is fine and that this flaw is no big deal if "you use the internet". Absolutely stupid to tell people it's OK. He successfully crashed AMD's stock last quarter, something tells me he is Intel-funded to pump Intel and suppress AMD.

My PfSense firewall is now also at risk as it's a Core 2 Duo machine. Great.
nfotiu
join:2009-01-25

9 recommendations

nfotiu

Member

30% performance hit is not going to go over well.

You'd think they'd have to offer some kind of compensation to purchasers.

That makes this article look a little suspicious.

»www.fool.com/investing/2 ··· ock.aspx
dziny
join:2015-06-22

7 recommendations

dziny

Member

30% is a lot

I've built a PC with skylake i5 6600K a year ago. Have water-cooling installed but didn't go for overclocking yet. Maybe a time to do so....
me1212
join:2008-11-20
Lees Summit, MO
·Google Fiber

4 recommendations

me1212

Member

I hope windows lets amd and via users not get bogged down by this.

I know linux devs said after the next patch(the fix for this is already out but they'll be putting a patch out for non intel users so they wont be boned) will make it so amd via arm ect will not be hit by this slow down caused by the patch needed to fix intel's derping. But I honestly wonder if microsoft will let amd users not be boned by the patch too. Granted xbox does use windows 10 kernel and an amd cpu so maybe.
en103
join:2011-05-02

3 recommendations

en103

Member

Having a 30% hit on Linux/Windows or OS/Hardware on Mac !

This is basically telling everyone that they should look into new hardware... just because.
Don't expect Apple to have people replace their Mac CPU. Won't happen.
It'll take them a month or more and push out a new OS release, and just like Windows - everything will be slower, and push for new hardware. In the case of Apple... it's going to be a hard sell, as all of their gear is overpriced to begin with.
Aaron2001
join:2016-12-31
united state

2 recommendations

Aaron2001

Member

AMD

Big win for AMD
etaadmin
join:2002-01-17
united state

2 recommendations

etaadmin

Member

There goes the little edge

intel chips had over AMD chips (single threading). Now when comparing CPUs one has to consider this clusterf$#k... looks like my next build is going to be a Ryzen. I was waiting for a z390 chipset motherboard to build a coffee lake machine but now... I think there is a Ryzen in my future.