The Hidden Complexities of Intel's CPU Vulnerability Fixes

Fellow Linux admins-

When your server has a software vulnerability, you can patch it or disable the service altogether, but what happens when your CPU itself is vulnerable to a privilege escalation or denial of service attack? Fixes for CPU vulnerabilities often require microcode updates or significant changes at the hardware level beyond just software patches. These updates can alter how certain CPU instructions are executed or how memory and CPU resources are managed. What do CPU vulnerabilities mean for your server?

Unlike software vulnerabilities, which can often be patched through software updates alone, CPU vulnerabilities require software and hardware-level changes. These alterations can sometimes also lead to a measurable slowdown, especially in performance-sensitive applications like databases or virtualized environments. 

Like a critical privilege escalation software vulnerability, Intel recently discovered and fixed multiple such critical hardware privilege escalation vulnerabilities. If you've never heard of a microcode update, or want to know more about how these critical vulnerabilities impact you, read on to learn what you need to do to prevent these attacks from crippling your system.

You'll also learn about two significant Chromium vulnerabilities that enable remote code execution and could lead to service disruption, data breaches, and system compromise.

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Stay safe out there,