Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD, and some implementations of Xen have a design flaw that could allow attackers to, at best, crash Intel and AMD-powered computers. At worst, miscreants can, potentially, “gain access to sensitive memory information or control low-level operating system functions,” which is a fancy way of saying peek at kernel memory, or hijack the critical code running the machine. The vulnerabilities can be exploited by malware running on a computer, or a malicious logged-in user. Patches are now available to correct the near-industry-wide programming blunders.
ORIGINAL SOURCE: The Register
