Researchers identified the problem last year, shared details with chip manufacturers last summer, and then made a public announcement Jan. 3. The vulnerabilities, known as Meltdown and Spectre, can allow passwords and other sensitive data on chips to be read. Spectre, meanwhile, requires more direct access to the microchip, but affects central processing units from Intel, Advanced Micro Devices Inc and ARM. ARM's Segars said his company has been tweaking designs for future chips to add "maximum flexibility." "What's important to establish there is guidelines around how to write software so you don't run afoul," he said.

Source: dna January 12, 2018 04:41 UTC