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back to article Kernel-memory-leaking Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign

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 …

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  1. MysteryGuy

    Does Windows 7 have PCID optimization?

    Is PCID supported for Windows 7? I've updated two Windows 7 systems on CPUs that claim to have both PCID and INVPCID support, but that support doesn't show as enabled.

    I used the Powershell 5.1 Get-SpeculationControlSettings function to check. (See https://support.microsoft.com/en-hk/help/4073119/guide-to-protect-against-speculative-execution-side-channel-vulnerabil ).

    "Speculation control settings for CVE-2017-5754 [rogue data cache load]

    Hardware requires kernel VA shadowing: True

    Windows OS support for kernel VA shadow is present: True

    Windows OS support for kernel VA shadow is enabled: True

    Windows OS support for PCID optimization is enabled: False

    Suggested actions

    ...

    BTIHardwarePresent : False

    BTIWindowsSupportPresent : True

    BTIWindowsSupportEnabled : False

    BTIDisabledBySystemPolicy : False

    BTIDisabledByNoHardwareSupport : True

    KVAShadowRequired : True

    KVAShadowWindowsSupportPresent : True

    KVAShadowWindowsSupportEnabled : True

    KVAShadowPcidEnabled : False"

    I booted Mobile Windows 10 on one of these systems, and under Windows 10 it does show

    "Windows OS support for PCID optimization is enabled: True".

    So, I was wondering if they've omitted PCID optimization under Windows 7.

    1 0 Reply
  2. anonymous boring coward Silver badge

    I would hate to defend Intel, but let's face it, most of our performance hits so far have been thanks to the WWW and browsers allowing lot's of sh*t (see: Google). Spying and tracking costs massive amounts of cycles, and irritating latencies.

    4 0 Reply
  3. rpark
    Alert

    Unleashed

    ...and we're all still waiting for the power of the Pentium to be 'unleashed'.

    0 0 Reply
  4. EnternalOptimist

    Boffins?

    Great article, even though it's going to cause a lot of nuisance work for me. Never heard of the word "Boffins" before. Apparently it's British, but now I can use it on my nerdy friends here in the US. They will claim offense, but none should be taken!

    0 0 Reply
  5. Brabus
    IT Angle

    2 vulnerabilities down, how many more to go?

    The question now is?

    1>Will new chips be vulnerable?

    2>When will we get new chips woyout the vulnerabilty?

    3>When to buy your new PC, as if your like me I just cancelled the order of my new iMac.

    How much more can we take? It's all getting a bit boring!

    0 0 Reply
  6. stefanreich2

    What if we stopped running untrusted code? It's possible.

    0 1 Reply
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Can we stop running speculatively running that code though?

      0 1 Reply

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