Intel bug incoming? Meltdown and Spectre exploits

[Tee Hee Johnson]

Always wanted Intel share prices to fall a bit, good time to invest

 

[jabbz]

My anti virus detected spyware called Windows 10 on my pc, so Windows 7 is back on lol!

 

[mattyfez]

It's not like they didn't know their own processors were processing code insecurely. It had to have been done on purpose and it would have been to keep a performance edge over rivals. They did a VW basically (cheated and kept it quiet). Hackers would have definitely known about it as well.

Not sure I'd agree with that if the hackers had wind of it, we'd know about it by now because all our machines would be knackered.

 

[uvarvu]

http://www.zdnet.com/article/securi...el-chip-since-1995-arm-processors-vulnerable/

Looks like some AMD and ARM chips are affected after all.

 

[bulldog147]

How can we tell if the CPU is slowing down? Is there any software to detect if CPU are slowing down?

 

[mattyfez]

As someone above corrected me, the vulnerability affects many, but it's only Intel chips that require a performance reducing patch.

 

[SiDeards73]

http://www.zdnet.com/article/securi...el-chip-since-1995-arm-processors-vulnerable/

Looks like some AMD and ARM chips are affected after all.

Hang on that article you posted has a quote from AMD saying their chips are not liable to this issue?

 

[Jono8]

Will Microsoft actively put two different versions out (ie AMD and Intel). As far as i understand it, any "fix" will affect both vendors in terms of performance, it just that AMD claim they don't need the fix.

I am not sure how they would get round it either as Windows 10 forces updates on you (pretty much).

 

[uvarvu]

Hang on that article you posted has a quote from AMD saying their chips are not liable to this issue?

Check out https://meltdownattack.com or https://spectreattack.com

The Spectre vulnerability has been confirmed on AMD chips but the Meltdown vulnerability hasn't.

 

[Space Monkey]

Will Microsoft actively put two different versions out (ie AMD and Intel). As far as i understand it, any "fix" will affect both vendors in terms of performance, it just that AMD claim they don't need the fix.

I am not sure how they would get round it either as Windows 10 forces updates on you (pretty much).

Good question!

 

[Steampunk]

Will Microsoft actively put two different versions out (ie AMD and Intel). As far as i understand it, any "fix" will affect both vendors in terms of performance, it just that AMD claim they don't need the fix.

I am not sure how they would get round it either as Windows 10 forces updates on you (pretty much).

I'm sure at some point they will put out a better patch that only targets the chips that need the fix. This is obviously something that is leaking and needs to come out now. It looks like MS will issue the Win 10 patch tonight, rather than wait for next week's patch day.

 

[Jono8]

Good question!

indeed.

Personally, i think AMD Windows users are getting shafted whatever happens, even if they don't need the fix.

 

[mattyfez]

They'll put out a dirty fix quickly, needs must.

I imagine that will be refined in a subsequent update that's cpu specific.

 

[SiDeards73]

Check out https://meltdownattack.com or https://spectreattack.com

The Spectre vulnerability has been confirmed on AMD chips but the Meltdown vulnerability hasn't.

I think you will find if you do some digging that it only affects FX and Pro CPUs, the Zen stuff is not at risk.

Anyhow AMD has basically debunked Intel's claim as well https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/03/amd-rebukes-intel-says-flaw-poses-near-zero-risk-to-its-chips.html

Ryan Shrout has been on twitter calling Intel out on their shady press release as well.

I'm fairly confident Zen CPU are not affected... Other older AMD CPUs are sure vulnerable to one of the exploits, but it's not like there's as many of those about as there are Intel chips lol

 

[mattyfez]

How can we tell if the CPU is slowing down? Is there any software to detect if CPU are slowing down?

You probably won't even notice, you might drop a couple of hundred points on your 3Dmark score in the meantime.

 

[pete910]

indeed.

Personally, i think AMD Windows users are getting shafted whatever happens, even if they don't need the fix.

I would have thought they would do it similarly to how LInux is, as in if a AMD CPU is detected the patch/fix is not enabled

 

[Supernova]

Emergency Windows Update has just gone up :$

https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/3/16846784/microsoft-processor-bug-windows-10-fix

If it has been pushed, it's invisible. Nothing on both my W10 machines.

 

[mattyfez]

Trading closed, Intel are 3.4% down.
AMD are 5.2% up.

That's big, considering Intel shares are around £45 each and AMD shares are about £12 each.

 

[Hades]

Already pulled into the kernel tree , Linus himself did it

https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Linux-Tip-Git-Disable-x86-PTI

Niiiiiiiiice. Open source rocks


I expect I'm in for a few days of hell at work trying to schedule emergency patching on hundreds of servers

 

[muon]

Intel has responded:

[link removed to prevent SEO]

They think the issue is not unique to them, not sure what this means yet.

Intel have deliberately juxtaposed two sentences praying people make a link. They also know this release will be posted by others.

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 XXX, XXX 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.