There is a serious security flaw in billions of Intel CPUs that can let attackers steal confidential data like passwords and encryption keys. Firmware updates can fix it, but at a potential significant performance loss.
Processes that run on the same system can run as different users (including kernel) which is used for privilege separation. This can still allow a program in userland to peer into otherwise restricted system processes or the kernel. Every system is a “multi-user” system, even if there is only a single human user.
Yes, but all the data that I care about is in my single human user’s account already. If I install malicious software then I’m already hooped regardless.
Look, I’m not saying this is no biggie. There are plenty of systems out there that will have to install this patch. Single-user computers probably should too. The situation I’m addressing is the case where a gaming computer has its performance as a gaming measurably harmed by the patch’s overhead, which is reportedly significant in some cases. In those cases it’s reasonable to weigh the merits and decide that this vulnerability isn’t all that big a problem.
Processes that run on the same system can run as different users (including kernel) which is used for privilege separation. This can still allow a program in userland to peer into otherwise restricted system processes or the kernel. Every system is a “multi-user” system, even if there is only a single human user.
Yes, but all the data that I care about is in my single human user’s account already. If I install malicious software then I’m already hooped regardless.
Look, I’m not saying this is no biggie. There are plenty of systems out there that will have to install this patch. Single-user computers probably should too. The situation I’m addressing is the case where a gaming computer has its performance as a gaming measurably harmed by the patch’s overhead, which is reportedly significant in some cases. In those cases it’s reasonable to weigh the merits and decide that this vulnerability isn’t all that big a problem.