Intel says its security updates will make 90% of modern PCs and phones IMMUNE to bugs that could expose billions of people’s private data to criminals (but experts warn the flaws are ‘unfixable’)
Intel has issued updates for the majority of processors built in the past five years
This figure should rise to around 90 per cent of such machines by next week
A permanent solution will have to be physically built into future microprocessors
The threat of the Spectre vulnerability may overshadow us for years to come
By TIM COLLINS
DAILYMAIL.COM
5 January 2018
Intel claims that its security updates will make 90 per cent of modern phones and PCs that use its chips ‘immune’ to the Meltdown and Spectre bugs.
The security updates will be rolled out next week in an effort to patch ‘design flaws’ in chips used by nearly all devices that put billions of devices at risk of being hacked.
Its chips are used in everything from PCs and smartphone to car systems and baby monitors.
Intel expects to provide automatic security updates via partner companies for most processors created within the past five years.
But experts warn the bugs result from a ‘design flaw’ which is ‘unfixable’.
They say such patches are simply a temporary fix, and a more permanent solution will have to be physically built into future microprocessors.
Daniel Gruss, the 31-year-old post-doctoral fellow at Austria’s Graz Technical University who discovered the Meltdown flaw, said he welcomed Intel’s response to the issue.
However, he also warned that there were no replacements yet that could address the flaws in processors that he and other researchers uncovered.
While they may patch part of the problem this could leave room for future exploits, the information security researcher says.
Speaking to Reuters, Dr Gruss said: ‘All CPUs are affected, also very recent ones.
‘Software updates can fix most of the problems, leaving only a small remaining attack surface.’
Intel says it has already issued updates for the majority of processors introduced within the past five years.
The Santa-Clara, California, based firm is yet to announce a timetable for patching older chips.
Reports have suggested that up to 15 years of Intel processors may be affected and we could still be living with the threat of the Spectre vulnerability for years to come.
The Rest…HERE
