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4 votes
1 answer
5k views

Sacrificing 30% of my CPU performance (by disabling Hyper-Threading) to fully mitigate CPU vulnerabilities, necessary?

I used the spectre-meltdown-checker, version 0.42, without any option resulting in all-green results. But, in a help page, I found the --paranoid switch, which resulted in about a half of later CVEs ...
Vlastimil Burián's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
144 views

How would one compare Cache Allocating Technology against MIT's Dynamically Allocated Way Guard for prevention of the Spectre side-channel Attack?

Upon research, I'm finding it difficult to identify a way to compare each solution. Is it correct in saying both solutions are software based? Therefore, could I compare overall PC perfomance with ...
Chris's user avatar
  • 11
16 votes
2 answers
3k views

Are new AMD processors more secure than Intel ones?

Since the discovery of Meltdown and Spectre, CPU security has been compromised and trust to the main manufacturers reduced, particularly Intel. 8 months later I wonder, what CPUs are more secure at ...
user3770060's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
1k views

Privacy implications of Intel CPU backdoors [closed]

I didn't follow all the episodes about backdoors in Intel CPUs What can intelligence or law enforcement agencies potentially do on a computer equipped with a vulnerable Intel CPU (connected to the ...
user18362's user avatar
-1 votes
2 answers
229 views

Extracting passwords from recycled machine using Spectre and Meltdown

With Spectre and Meltdown, hackers can extract your password from the CPU cache. If I give someone my computer without the hard drive, can he extract my passwords through the CPU?
justlinx69's user avatar
48 votes
3 answers
16k views

Are new Intel CPUs vulnerable to Meltdown/Spectre?

Has Intel released any information about new processors? According to their advisory a number of processors are susceptible, but it says nothing about when new processors will be fixed. Also Meltdown ...
bitmask's user avatar
  • 627
6 votes
1 answer
439 views

Why does my unpatched system *appear* to not be vulnerable to Spectre?

Since the corresponding research papers offer quite explicit descriptions publicly, I suppose that publishing my code below is not considered as encouraging or endorsing exploits. Nevertheless, I am ...
Hagen von Eitzen's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
1k views

Intel firmware/microcode updates that make processors "immune" to both Spectre and Meltdown?

Recently Intel has claimed the following in a press release (emphasis added): SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 4, 2018 — Intel has developed and is rapidly issuing updates for all types of Intel-based ...
Alexander O'Mara's user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
1k views

Do the Spectre and Meltdown CPU bugs affect AMD in addition to Intel?

If a server or or PC is running AMD CPUs, will those be affected by the Spectre and/or Meltdown bugs currently effecting Intel chips? Why or why not? What makes it affect one and not the other? How ...
TestinginProd's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
559 views

How does the Intel CPU design flaw affect us? [closed]

Today, I saw this in the news. I'm hesitant to install the fix, because I've heard it would slow down IO 50%, which is not acceptable for me. But a guy said that the flaw allows JavaScript in the ...
Mithril's user avatar
  • 137