Security Flaw Puts Intel Processors at Risk
Return To ArticleResearchers from BitDefender have uncovered a concerning security vulnerability present in all modern Intel processors. If executed, the flaw could permit an adversary to access the computer’s kernel memory, which could potentially result in them gaining access to sensitive information, like passwords, tokens, and private conversations.
The flaw affects all machines using Intel processors that support the SWAPGS system call, which allows the processor to swap between the kernel mode and user mode memory rings. This feature is part of the speculative execution features present in most modern processors, which allow the CPU to predictively execute tasks in anticipation of them being required.
