Intel breathes a sigh of relief as the spotlight moves off of them for a beat.

  • @[email protected]
    link
    fedilink
    English
    16 months ago

    If I understand it correctly, the chip has the vulnerability, but the malware would be installed on the motherboard in the form of a bootkit. So getting a used CPU is not a threat, but getting a used motherboard is (and kind of always has been) a risk.

    • @db2
      link
      English
      26 months ago

      It allows for adulteration of firmware, the CPU has firmware. 🤷

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        English
        26 months ago

        CPU firmware exploits are incredibly rare, if there even are any that exist beyond proof-of-concept. The chances of getting an infected CPU from this is so unlikely it’s practically impossible.

        • @db2
          link
          English
          16 months ago

          You forget that the CPU has a nanny CPU built in these days.

          • @[email protected]
            link
            fedilink
            English
            16 months ago

            Which, again, is an incredibly unlikely attack vector unless you have some government secrets on your computer. And chances are that any attack through the IME or PSP is trying to do an implant into the UEFI/BIOS and not the processor itself.