A proposed Linux kernel patch would provide a new Kconfig build time option of "CONFIG_DEFAULT_CPU_MITIGATIONS_OFF" to build an insecure kernel if wanting to avoid the growing list of CPU security mitigations within the kernel and their associated performance overhead. . While risking system security, booting the Linux kernel with the " mitigations=off " option has been popular for avoiding the performance costs of Spectre, Meltdown, and the many other CPU security vulnerabilities that have come to light in recent years. Using mitigations=off allows run-time disabling of the various in-kernel security mitigations for these CPU problems. A patch proposed this week would provide CONFIG_DEFAULT_CPU_MITIGATIONS_OFF as a Kconfig switch that could optionally be enabled to have the same affect as mitigations=off but to be applied at build-time to avoid having to worry about setting the "mitigations=off" flag. The link for this article located at Phoronix is no longer available. . Turning off CPU security features during the build process through a new Kconfig option may enhance performance but poses potential security threats.. Linux Kernel Patch, CPU Mitigations, Performance Enhancements, Security Risks. . Brittany Day
Intel's hyperthreading technology could allow a hacker to steal security keys from a compromised server using a sophisticated timing attack, a researcher has warned. Hyperthreading allows software to take advantage of unused execution units in a processor. It essentially allows two separate processes, or software threads, to execute on a single processor at the same time, improving performance. . However, by taking advantage of the fact that the processes share access to a chip's cache memory, a malicious user can determine the security keys to a particular computer by monitoring the cache for those keys, said Colin Percival, an independent researcher, in a paper posted to his website and presented at the BSDCan 2005 conference. The link for this article located at TechWorld is no longer available. . Explore the ways in which Intel's hyperthreading technology could inadvertently reveal sensitive security keys through a sophisticated attack strategy.. Intel Hyperthreading, Timing Attack, Performance Risks, Security Keys. . LinuxSecurity.com Team
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