[SOLVED] Intel Linux microcode

wpeckham · 06-14-2018, 05:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trumpforprez

Yes, it's a difficult situation, isn't it?
It's even more of a difficult situation for Microsoft since they have the greatest global share of PCs.

The benefit of knowing about Meltdown and Spectre is that people now know what has been happening for years - and how it is done.
With the mitigation work undertaken by OS providers we can reasonably conclude these security vulnerabilities have now reached the end of their shelf life.

So what have they already been replaced with?

For the moment we can look forward to a huge increase in sales for Intel/AMD.
And this will bring more jobs and will help the economy.
There is a simple elegance in the outcomes, isn't there?

Thank you all kindly for contributing.

Personally, I prefer using the fastest AMD processors available running an OS that is not vulnerable while I await the new non-vulnerable hardware. I like my speed! ;-)

trumpforprez · 06-14-2018, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ondoho

yes, ARM processors do look like a good alternative atm, but they're probably not "completely safe" either.

Probably.

ARM Holdings is fabless. They don't make processors - they just design them.
This is different to Intel. Intel design and manufacture their cpus.

After taking the ARM design, several manufacturers then make the cpu.
These manufacturers come from all over the world.

It's a bit like linux.
You have the linux kernel - and then you have several distros using the kernel.
With so much variation - it's difficult to create a single virus which will affect all the distros.

This may be the case with ARM cpus too.

engines · 06-19-2018, 07:06 PM

I would personally think the only way to find a processor vulnerability would be to see the full schematic or be witness to the manufacturing process. How would they do it any other way? Could it be by design?