'Kernel memory leaking' Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign

Microsoft has released its version of the Intel microcode updates going back to Sandy Bridge now, assuming you have upgraded your Windows 10 to version 1803:
KB4100347: Intel microcode updates

 

Microsoft, Google: We've found a fourth variant of Meltdown-Spectre CPU holes
Affects Intel and other processor makers
May 21, 2018
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/05/21/spectre_meltdown_v4_microsoft_google/

Related:
Google and Microsoft disclose new CPU flaw, and the fix can slow machines down
New firmware updates are on the way
May 21, 2018
https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/21/...nerability-speculative-store-bypass-variant-4

 

Analysis and mitigation of speculative store bypass (CVE-2018-3639)
Link: https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com...on-of-speculative-store-bypass-cve-2018-3639/

 

Chicken Little was right.

Those newly designed chips coming out at the end of 2019 - I wonder if they are still OK.

 

Foxy Loxy would certainly agree with that ………….

 

It has also become fairly apparent that AMD is stopping any patches at the "Bulldozer" line i.e. FX processor. So looks like I will half to cough up $100 to buy a 8150 at Newegg and install it in this new Gigabyte 990 AM3+ motherboard I have had sitting around for years. Was going to install my Phenom II in that MB.

 

Intel’s ‘Virtual Fences’ Spectre Fix Won’t Protect Against Variant 4

https://threatpost.com/intels-virtual-fences-spectre-fix-wont-protect-against-variant-4

 

Chromium/Chrome: Post-Spectre Threat Model Re-Think
Link: https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/src/ /master/docs/security/side-channel-threat-model.md

A lot of highly respected security devs chimed in on this one. Interesting stuff although I am not done reading yet.

 

Thanks for posting WBD. It is an interesting article. Although many aspects are above my head, it is clear that Chrome and, hence, all other browsers have a long way to go before they mitigate most of the vulnerabilities we are exposed to with this new(ish) class of threats.

 

You're welcome. Yes, this new world of modern threats seem to get more creative as time goes on. These days the threats are a whole new level of "cat and mouse" games and it seems to be more difficult to determine which one is ahead at any given time.

 

Thanks for posting. I said something similar to some things in this document:
-compiler/toolchain/OS mitigations may be useful, but they are expensive
-it's not possible to eliminate or coarse enough clocks to mitigate Spectre-like vulnerabilities
-any active code can read any data in the same address space. It means Site Isolation is needed. For FF Quantum it means it's process,thread model needs to be redesigned to mitigate against Spectre exploits. Advanced users of course can use Javascript blocking (uBlock, NoScript,...) and common sense, but regular users are vulnerable to Spectre.

But there is also a ton of stuff I didn't know about.

 

Spectre variant 4 fix included in Microsoft Patch Tuesday rollout
June 12, 2018
https://www.scmagazine.com/spectre-...crosoft-patch-tuesday-rollout/article/772966/

 

I applied the reg IBPB mitigation since it is the only one AMD recommends. So far, so good. No performance impact.

 

According to this (https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/security-center/advisory/intel-sa-00115.html) updated Intel guidance page, Speculative Store Bypass Disable (SSBD) and Rogue System Register Read (RSRR) both will require microcode updates for the latest OS mitigation to fully take affect (noted in the updated PowerShell SpeculationControl app). I tried today (without microcode, of course) and the PS app suggested that the mitigation SSBD was not enabled system-wide despite making the appropriate registry modifications.

Apparently, OS vendors, OEM's and such are all in possession of beta versions of these microcode updates and therefore once stabilized, those new microcode updates will be pushed out (once again).

And the era of microcode updates continue...

 

Here's the Status of Meltdown and Spectre Mitigations in Windows
June 13, 2018
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/ne...-meltdown-and-spectre-mitigations-in-windows/

 

I'm curious if this is another one of the 8 Spectre-NG vulnerabilities or something else.

 

Boffins offer to make speculative execution great again with Spectre-Meltdown CPU fix

https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/06/16/speculative_execution_spectre_meltdown/

 

This may be of interest to @itman
https://bsd.slashdot.org/story/18/0...-cpu-hyper-threading-due-to-security-concerns

Mailing list message:
https://www.mail-archive.com/source-changes@openbsd.org/msg99141.html

 

Thanks but I have always used AMD processors.

 

Yes, but I remember you was suspicious about hyper-threading technology as source of bugs.

 

Some details on the vulnerability:
https://www.blackhat.com/us-18/brie...rotecting-your-cpu-caches-is-not-enough-10149

 

Some more info:
Meet TLBleed: A crypto-key-leaking CPU attack that Intel reckons we shouldn't worry about

https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/06/22/intel_tlbleed_key_data_leak/