Intel Processors Critical hardware design flaw that Presented in kernel level mode has been affected both Windows and Linux Kernels which leads to abuse the most sensitive kernel level privileges by Attackers.
This Critical Kernal vulnerability affected all operating systems including Windows, Linux, macOS which leads to slow down the process atleast five to 30 percentage.
It is presented in all recent Intel Processors and significantly allows normal users to access the protected memory in the kernel.
The kernel inside a chip is basically an invisible process that facilitates the way apps and functions work on your computer.
It has complete control over your operating system. Your PC needs to switch between user mode and kernel mode thousands of times a day.
This Critical vulnerability existing in Intel x86 CPUs produced over the past 10 years and initially, this flaw reported only in Intel Based chips
But Intel responded that these exploits are caused by a “bug” or a “flaw” and are unique to Intel products are incorrect. Based on the analysis to date, many types of computing devices — with many different vendors’ processors and operating systems — are susceptible to these exploits.
PostgreSQL SELECT 1 with the KPTI workaround for Intel CPU vulnerability https://t.co/N9gSvML2Fo
Best case: 17% slowdown
Worst case: 23%— The Register (@TheRegister) January 2, 2018
Also Read: phpMyAdmin CSRF Vulnerability Allows An Attacker to Delete Records From Database
What is the Major Impact of this Kernel Vulnerability
This Kernel Vulnerability categorized as an extremely technical flaw in the kernel which affected in not only the Intel-based processors but other vendors such as AMD, ARM also affected.
In this flaw allows chip’s kernel is leaking memory that could be accessed by user mode priviaged users can interact with kernel and sensitive data can be exposed by attackers.
Even more, an attacker can able to install the normal program on the computer and later they can read the password that is stored in kernel memory that has been encrypted with the private key.
Since a kernel is the core of an operating system, It’s a process that handles the most sensitive tasks in your system. so it considered as one of the serious flaws that should be fixed by the operating systems vendors and hardware vendors.
Intel said Intel and other technology companies have been made aware of new security research describing software analysis methods that, when used for malicious purposes, have the potential to improperly gather sensitive data from computing devices that are operating as designed,”
“Intel believes these exploits do not have the potential to corrupt, modify or delete data.” AMD denied that its chips are affected.
According toThe Rigister, A fundamental design flaw in Intel’s processor chips has forced a significant redesign of the Linux and Windows kernels to defang the chip-level security bug.
Programmers are scrambling to overhaul the open-source Linux kernel’s virtual memory system. Meanwhile, Microsoft is expected to publicly introduce the necessary changes to its Windows operating system in an upcoming Patch Tuesday.
Since its a highly technical security Kernel Vulnerability users cannot perform any mitigation.so all the users urged to check with your operating system vendor or system manufacturer and apply any available updates as soon as they are available.
