Intel processor security flaw requires OS kernel level fix

[LSG501]

Then they've hardly picked a good time with AMD at it's highest point for well over a decade and generally offering better value for most mid-high end users (the likes who will have the most to lose from this), Ryzen 2 coming and presumably their APU lineup will be getting fleshed out too.

As advertisements go it would hardly be a great incentive to upgrade your Intel CPU for another Intel CPU.

The sad thing is that no matter how much amd improves intel still has a similar standing as Apple in the eyes of a normal consumer when it comes to pc's, plus it's not like most consumers are even going to know about this bug.

[DanceswithUnix]

With Ryzen now a viable alternative on both mobile and desktop, I think I'll stick to AMD.

Under Linux the patch to keep full performance on AMD chips has yet to be accepted. Hopefully the Microsoft patch won't needlessly afflict us, or will be as easy to disable as the Linux workaround (a command line option in the boot options).

https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?pa...inux-4.15-Test

[ik9000]

ah thank you intel. I've been trying to put together a case to my wife as to why we need to upgrade our aging i7 to a ryzen system. Et voila, here it is.

Not much I can do about my laptop though. Just going to have to take a hit. And given how much the drop in i7 paired with NVMe appears to be in those preliminary tests, I'm rather worried what it will look like.

[fend_oblivion]

Disappointing. I guess I'll have to recommend Team Red from now on, even for those who have the extra money to spare.

[The Hand]

Intel's share price has just fallen by nearly 4% and AMD's has just risen over 6% just on the NASDAQ opening a couple of minutes ago. It might be short lived but looks like this news is registering to a degree.

[Biscuit]

Intel's share price has just fallen by nearly 4% and AMD's has just risen over 6% just on the NASDAQ opening a couple of minutes ago. It might be short lived but looks like this news is registering to a degree.

This is a little more than the usual cynical flip flopping that goes on with share prices though, I think it might have a longer life we commonly see.

[Iota]

Not all Intel CPUs are affected by this bug, it depends on the version of IME used afaik. Anyway, you can check if your CPU is one of those affected, https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/27150

[LeetyMcLeet]

Not all Intel CPUs are affected by this bug, it depends on the version of IME used afaik. Anyway, you can check if your CPU is one of those affected, https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/27150

Thanks for the link. My system's not affected.

[Biscuit]

Not all Intel CPUs are affected by this bug, it depends on the version of IME used afaik. Anyway, you can check if your CPU is one of those affected, https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/27150

Workstation: Not Vulnerable with a Gigabyte Z77-UD5 and E3 1230

Gaming PC: Not Vulnerable with a ASRock Z77 Extreme4-M and i5 3570K

[The Hand]

Not all Intel CPUs are affected by this bug, it depends on the version of IME used afaik. Anyway, you can check if your CPU is one of those affected, https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/27150

Some good news at least, my i5 Laptop is not affected, thanks for the link!

[s_ATI_sfied]

Not all Intel CPUs are affected by this bug, it depends on the version of IME used afaik. Anyway, you can check if your CPU is one of those affected, https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/27150

Is the IME flaw not a completely separate issue to this? AFIAK the IME flaw needed a motherboard BIOS update to fix. This kernel flaw needs an OS patch to fix. I think you might have your wires crossed on this one.

[tumbledragon]

Not all Intel CPUs are affected by this bug, it depends on the version of IME used afaik. Anyway, you can check if your CPU is one of those affected, https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/27150

I could be wrong but isn't this tool testing for a different vulnerability, i.e. Management Engine issues, whereas this is a new vulnerability in the way the CPU handles cached Kernel memory during speculative execution.
Just what I picked up from the el reg article

[Bagnaj97]

Not all Intel CPUs are affected by this bug, it depends on the version of IME used afaik. Anyway, you can check if your CPU is one of those affected, https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/27150

The Intel Management Engine bug isn't the same thing. Reading this article it seems the bug is likely to do with speculative execution. I've read elsewhere, but can't now find a source, that the speculative exection functions in Intel processors are largely unchanged since the Pentium II and all their processors dating back that far could be affected - truckload of salt required for that rumour though!

First the IME bug and now this - not a good time for Intel. I seriously doubt this will have any long term impact though; Intel will continue to dominate the x86 market and this will be largely forgotten in a few months.

[DanceswithUnix]

Not all Intel CPUs are affected by this bug, it depends on the version of IME used afaik. Anyway, you can check if your CPU is one of those affected, https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/27150

That appears to test for the management engine vulnerability, not this vulnerability.

Edit: lol, from so many posts saying the same thing I guess it takes a few minutes to read that security advisory.

[Biscuit]

Damnit...

[yeeeeman]

Ok, so this means I won't update anything since I don't have anything to hide from hackers.