![]() ![]() You read that right, once your system is patched it may run 30 percent slower for certain tasks. Current estimates suggest that hit could be as high as 30 percent. Closing the security hole will result in a significant performance hit to each system. ![]() The vulnerability alone is bad enough, but the fix makes the situation even worse. So that includes your passwords, login keys or any files that happen to be cached when unauthorized access occurs. It is therefore extremely important the kernel memory remains secure due to the sensitive information it can contain.Īlthough nobody outside of Intel knows the specifics, the flaw is thought to be so serious it could allow any software, even a bit of JavaScript running in a web browser, to access and steal data stored in the protected kernel memory. The kernel is the core of an operating system and controls anything and everything running on it. Our hotline is available 24/7: call The Register reports, the flaw is thought to allow user programs to gain access to protected kernel memory areas. If your business has not performed a security posture assessment or if your business has not developed an incident response plan, the Lewis Brisbois’ Data Privacy & Cybersecurity Team can provide assistance. But these updates alone will not be enough to protect businesses from these or similar cyber attacks. Unfortunately, these are software updates to patch a hardware problem, and the software fix has been shown to impact a device’s performance, slowing down some devices as much as 30 percent. But still, Microsoft, Google, Apple, and other tech companies have already begun providing software updates to address the Meltdown and Spectre bugs. There do not appear to be any signs that attackers have used either bug to steal data yet. In other words, businesses are more likely to be the targets of one of these sophisticated and targeted attacks. That means the incentive to use Meltdown or Spectre will most likely be for individuals prepared to plan and carryout a more complex cyber attack. However, that data could eventually be pieced together to reveal passwords or encryption keys. If an attacker did get access to a user’s computer, they would get only small amounts of data from the processor. Ī hacker may be able to exploit either Meltdown or Spectre by inserting code through a user’s web browser, among other methods. ![]() The Spectre bug is a far more wide-ranging and troublesome flaw, as it not only impacts Intel chips, but also the AMD and ARM processors commonly used in mobile devices such as cellular phones. The Spectre bug, on the other hand, allows malicious programs to steal data from the memory of other applications running on a machine. The Meltdown bug affects most Intel processors developed over the past 20 years. The Meltdown bug allows malicious programs to bypass security measures that would normally restrict access to a device’s memory, which can give hackers access to data or even access to the core functions of a device. The two flaws or bugs, named “Meltdown” (computers) and “Spectre” (mobile devices), make data stored in individual devices vulnerable to attack by allowing hackers to access and steal passwords, encryption keys, or other sensitive information from the device’s memory. By: Lewis Brisbois' Data Privacy & Cybersecurity TeamĢ018 kicked off with security researchers finding two serious security flaws in chips used in personal computers and mobile devices. ![]()
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