Nearly all Intel processors produced in the last 10 years have a major security vulnerability that could leave your devices exposed to serious attacks. According to a report from The Register, the Linux and Windows kernels are being forced to undergo a major redesign, which could lead to a decrease in performance.
While all detailed information about the vulnerability will not be made public until the embargo is lifted later this month, the report highlights some important aspects of it.
It has been reported that modern Intel processors have a design flaw that allows malicious programs to access restricted areas of the operating system kernel memory. You may be aware that programs installed on any computer have a specific set of permissions. The kernel has the highest level of permissions, and some of these are enforced using the CPU hardware because this method is faster.
But what if the hardware enforcing these restrictions doesn't work with 100% accuracy? This would allow "normal user programs – from JavaScript database applications to web browsers – to discern to some extent the layout or contents of protected kernel memory areas.".
To fix this problem, developers will need to completely separate kernel memory from the user processor, using Kernel Page Table Isolation. This separation is time-consuming and is expected to cause an increase in kernel overhead, which could slow down your computer.
According to experts and developers, you should be prepared to see a 5-30% decrease in your computer's performance once the patches are released. This performance impact will vary depending on the CPU model. AMD CPU users, however, need not worry, as their computers are not affected.
The report also suggests that Macs are also affected, but there is little information about that. Linux and Windows development teams are working on releasing updates, while Apple is also expected to create a similar solution soon.
