A fundamental design flaw in Intel’s processor chips has forced a significant redesign of the Linux and Windows kernels to defang the chip-level security bug.
Programmers are scrambling to overhaul the open-source Linux kernel’s virtual memory system. Meanwhile, Microsoft is expected to publicly introduce the necessary changes to its Windows operating system in an upcoming Patch Tuesday: these changes were seeded to beta testers running fast-ring Windows Insider builds in November and December.
Crucially, these updates to both Linux and Windows will incur a performance hit on Intel products. The effects are still being benchmarked, however we’re looking at a ballpark figure of five to 30 per cent slow down, depending on the task and the processor model. More recent Intel chips have features – such as PCID – to reduce the performance hit. Your mileage may vary.
[…]
However, it may be that the vulnerability in Intel’s chips is worse than the above mitigation bypass. In an email
to the Linux kernel mailing list over Christmas, AMD said it is not
affected. The wording of that message, though, rather gives the game
away as to what the underlying cockup is:
AMD processors are not subject to the types of attacks that the
kernel page table isolation feature protects against. The AMD
microarchitecture does not allow memory references, including
speculative references, that access higher privileged data when running
in a lesser privileged mode when that access would result in a page
fault.
A key word here is “speculative.” Modern processors,
like Intel’s, perform speculative execution. In order to keep their
internal pipelines primed with instructions to obey, the CPU cores try
their best to guess what code is going to be run next, fetch it, and
execute it.
It appears, from what AMD software engineer Tom
Lendacky was suggesting above, that Intel’s CPUs speculatively execute
code potentially without performing security checks. It seems it may be
possible to craft software in such a way that the processor starts
executing an instruction that would normally be blocked – such as
reading kernel memory from user mode – and completes that instruction
before the privilege level check occurs.
That would allow ring-3-level user code to read ring-0-level kernel data. And that is not good.
also intel’s CEO just sold a shitload of stock lmfao
“Well, either the x-rays lied to me or you are spontaneously creating teeth. I’m going with the second one because it’s way cooler.”
“When was the last time you flossed? Your gums aren’t bleeding which means I’m either not doing this hard enough or you actually floss your teeth regularly”
“You don’t need to do a fluoride treatment I just want to go check my facebook for a second and this is the best excuse I can come up with. Don’t worry your insurance will cover it.”
“Take a whole handful of toothbrushes, I can’t order new ones in less ugly colors until these ones are gone.”
“Remember not to eat or drink anything for a half hour…or actually you know forget that go eat lemons and drink coffee right now. I make money based on peoples bad decisions, you should probably stop brushing your teeth too.”
“I became a dentist because I like making children cry and they don’t let you do that as a regular doctor.”
whats the best way to trim the crest+beard of a silkie? this lady can barely see with all that floof!
apparently some people use little headbands to keep the fluff out of their eyes
80s chickens
yo im late but when i first got my polish frizzle bantams years ago from their breeder their crests were up to keep them out of the mud (because they’re show birds) and the result was amazing
chef hats/make-up brush hair
i love them thank you for the advice
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had to Google what frizzles looked like normally and
A 22-month-old female scaredy cat tiger appeared to get the shock of her young life when she encountered a dead leaf floating on a pool of water in the Bandhavgarh National Park, India. Clearly unusure about just what was approaching her, the partially submerged youngster’s tail shot up in the air and with teeth bared she let out her most fearsome growl – all in an effort to scare the humble leaf away.
Picture: HERMANN BREHM / NPL / Rex Features
I CAN’T BREATHE
OMFG I AM DYING!
this is like the happiest thing I have encountered in a while
Pride, Prejudice and Mail Order 