![]() ![]() In fact, that's how Spectre got its name. But the attack takes advantages of an integral part of how processors work, meaning it will take a new generation of hardware to stamp it out for good. ![]() ![]() It's harder to pull off a Spectre-based attack, which is why nobody is completely panicking. And, according to the search giant, there's no single, simple fix. ![]() Google says it has been able to successfully execute Spectre attacks on processors from Intel, ARM, and AMD. Spectre, by contrast, appears to be much more dangerous. Those are already starting to become available for Linux and Windows 10. You can guard against it with software updates, according to Google. The Meltdown attack primarily affects Intel processors, though ARM has said that its chips are vulnerable as well. Intel, however, disputed that figure, saying the amount by which computers will be slowed will depend on how they're being used. Some devices will see a performance dip of as much as 30% after the fixes are installed, according to some reports. The most immediate consequence of all of this will come from those fixes. And companies including Intel, Amazon, Google, Apple, and Microsoft are rushing to issue fixes, with the first wave already out. There's some good news: Intel and Google say they've never seen any attacks like Meltdown or Spectre actually being used in the wild. And, just as important, here's what they're not. Some devices, especially older PCs, could be slowed markedly by them. Though fixes are already being rolled out for the vulnerability, they often will come with a price. In fact, given the right conditions, Meltdown or Spectre could be used by customers of those cloud services to actually steal data from one another. The flaw could be exploited on servers and in data centers and massive cloud-computing platforms such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud. The vulnerability isn't easy to exploit - it requires a specific set of circumstances, including having malware already running on the device - but it's not just theoretical.Īnd the problem could affect much more than just personal devices. The first thing you need to know: Pretty much every PC, laptop, tablet, and smartphone is affected by the security flaw, regardless of which company made the device or which operating system it runs. Spectre is particularly nasty - there's no real fix for it, and it exploits a fundamental part of how processors work.These fixes could slow down some computers, particularly older ones.The first wave of patches has already started to go out for Microsoft's Windows 10, Apple's MacOS, Linux, and Android.The exploits were discovered by Google, which warns that an attacker could use them to steal sensitive or confidential information, including passwords.The tech world is in a tizzy over "Meltdown" and "Spectre" - two methods of exploiting a security vulnerability found in Intel, AMD, and ARM processors that, between them, threaten almost all PCs, laptops, tablets, and smartphones, regardless of manufacturer or operating system.This story is available exclusively to InsiderĪnd start reading now. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders. ![]()
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