'Kernel memory leaking' Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign

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Trippynet
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Re: 'Kernel memory leaking' Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign

Unread post by Trippynet » 2018-01-11, 08:34

hobbledehoy899 wrote:
Off-topic:
I don't know if you can actually answer this, but the way you phrased that post would imply you could... What do you think of Ryzen and would you recommend it for reasons other than not being Intel chips?
Off-topic:
In general, yes - but it depends what you're looking for. Ryzen has some areas where it's a bit stronger than Intel CPUs, and some areas where it's a bit weaker. For single threaded stuff, Core is generally a bit better than Ryzen. However for multi-threaded workloads, Ryzen is often stronger and you usually get more cores for your money. For example, for what I paid for my 8-core Ryzen CPU last month, I could only get a 4-core Intel CPU for the same price.

Of course, performance is currently a bit more of a toughy as the overall impact of the Meltdown fixes is not yet fully understood, so checking out benchmarks over the next month or so on systems where Meltdown patches have been applied would be a good idea. But in short, Ryzen is a good CPU for the money. Whether it's best for you depends on what you use your computer for, and what your budget is.

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Re: 'Kernel memory leaking' Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign

Unread post by Thehandyman1957 » 2018-01-12, 02:45

Benchmarks show Spectre patch slows iPhone JavaScript performance by 40%
https://react-etc.net/entry/benchmarks- ... 40-percent

More interesting news coming out. :coffee:

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Re: 'Kernel memory leaking' Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign

Unread post by Tomaso » 2018-01-12, 10:50

Intel’s Meltdown fix freaked out some Broadwells, Haswells:
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/01/1 ... _unstable/
Customers say PCs and servers reboot a lot after fixes.
Meanwhile, AMD admits to Spectre problems.


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Re: 'Kernel memory leaking' Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign

Unread post by Cassette » 2018-01-12, 11:42

I can confirm, in case anyone was wondering, that the Windows patch for Meltdown can also cause problems with Windows 8.1. I started experiencing blue screen crashes with error Clock_Watchdog_Timeout that stopped as soon as I uninstalled the security update. I use a Ryzen 5 CPU.

dark_moon

Re: 'Kernel memory leaking' Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign

Unread post by dark_moon » 2018-01-12, 12:58

Cassette wrote: I use a Ryzen 5 CPU.
You should read the warnings about AMD and this updates
Because of that, Microsoft stop the updates until its fixed.

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Re: 'Kernel memory leaking' Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign

Unread post by Cassette » 2018-01-12, 14:29

dark_moon wrote:
Cassette wrote: I use a Ryzen 5 CPU.
You should read the warnings about AMD and this updates
Because of that, Microsoft stop the updates until its fixed.
That's true for only certain processors which doesn't include Ryzen. Technically Microsoft blocks all updates to systems with Ryzen processors on anything except Windows 10 despite the fact that it was released while 8.1 was still in mainstream support. My older system also with AMD and Windows 7 has the update and hasn't had any stability issues. It's a small subset of AMD processors that are blocked.

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Re: 'Kernel memory leaking' Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign

Unread post by yereverluvinuncleber » 2018-01-12, 15:52

dark_moon wrote:Testsite for testing browser against Spectre: http://xlab.tencent.com/special/spectre ... check.html
That site - it checks various exploits then uses javascript to probe cache memory. It is actually using the spectre exploit to probe for weakness. If your machine is vulnerable through using a unpatched browser then what is there to stop sites like that drawing people in to test their browsers and then stealing data in the process?

That particular site - how do you know it is genuine and how was it recommended, by word of mouth or from a reputable source?

I know that sources are saying that it is Tencent’s XUANWU Lab but I could create a page like that, load some javascript and say to everyone "Hey come and test your CPU against spectre", with supposed read rates up to 500kb/sec I could extract quite a lot from 8mbyte caches.

It seems likely that someone is going to come up with a site like that very soon.
Last edited by yereverluvinuncleber on 2018-01-12, 16:00, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: 'Kernel memory leaking' Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign

Unread post by Terryphi » 2018-01-12, 16:28

yereverluvinuncleber wrote:
dark_moon wrote:Testsite for testing browser against Spectre: http://xlab.tencent.com/special/spectre ... check.html
That particular site - how do you know it is genuine and how was it recommended, by word of mouth or from a reputable source?
I take your point but it comes from the tencent.com domain. So unless it has been hacked I think you can assume it is reliable.

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Re: 'Kernel memory leaking' Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign

Unread post by Tomaso » 2018-01-12, 22:37

It’s not just Windows – Linux Ubuntu systems being bricked by Meltdown/Spectre patches too:
https://www.onmsft.com/news/its-not-jus ... tches-too/
Canonical originally released Kernel image 4.4.0.108 on January 9, and a security bulletin notes that this was to correct Meltdown.
There have been subsequent Linux Kernel updates, including 4.4.109, and 4.4.0.109.114 which attempt to alleviate the bricking issue, though it has not worked for everyone.


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Re: 'Kernel memory leaking' Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign

Unread post by Night Wing » 2018-01-13, 00:14

@ dark_moon

Thanks for the links. According to the vulnerability test; all three of my linux browsers (Pale Moon 27.6.2, SeaMonkey 2.49.1 & Firefox 52.5.3 ESR) are not vulnerable to Spectre.
Linux Mint 21.3 (Virginia) Xfce w/ Linux Pale Moon, Linux Waterfox, Linux SeaLion, Linux Firefox
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Re: 'Kernel memory leaking' Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign

Unread post by Thehandyman1957 » 2018-01-13, 03:38

Tomaso wrote:Intel’s Meltdown fix freaked out some Broadwells, Haswells:
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/01/1 ... _unstable/
Customers say PCs and servers reboot a lot after fixes.
Meanwhile, AMD admits to Spectre problems.
And yet, there recommendation after this is????
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/ ... chips.html
'We are working quickly with these customers to understand, diagnose and address this reboot issue.

''End-users should continue to apply updates recommended by their system and operating system providers.
You can't fix stupid. :wtf: :crazy:

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Re: 'Kernel memory leaking' Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign

Unread post by yereverluvinuncleber » 2018-01-13, 13:50

It seems like a reliable recommendation (without any knowledge myself to substantiate that statement) but the test site itself seemed so basic and hacked together, with some Chinese characters top left, that there was little visually to make it seem "genuine" and trustworthy.

it seems only sensible to question and test its trustworthiness if we are going to recommend it to others during a time of potential crisis for some.
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Re: 'Kernel memory leaking' Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign

Unread post by Tomaso » 2018-01-16, 15:23

InSpectre (Spectre and Meltdown vulnerability checker):
https://www.grc.com/inspectre.htm
This one is made by Steve Gibson himself, so it won't try to connect to the internet or some shit like that.

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Re: 'Kernel memory leaking' Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign

Unread post by New Tobin Paradigm » 2018-01-16, 15:26

I have been getting reports that the fix Ubuntu pushed out are bricking machines both BIOS and UEFI alike by improperly setting the voltage too high and burning out the eprom.

Be careful...
Last edited by New Tobin Paradigm on 2018-01-16, 15:26, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: 'Kernel memory leaking' Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign

Unread post by Night Wing » 2018-01-16, 16:21

In linux, instead of getting 4 kernel updates for this patch which affects the 410 kernels, I'm now getting 6 updates to the 413 series. (16, 17, 19, 21, 25, 26). I haven't installed any of them and I'm not going to. These kernel patches (in my opinion) have been rushed and the ones for my distro (64 bit Mint) have been bricking some computers where; once installed, won't boot, the wifi doesn't work, etc.

The best course of action (for me) is to wait until Mint 19.0 Xfce is released this upcoming June which will have a fully tested and "not" a rushed 415 kernel. I know the Mint developers are working on Mint 19 with the 415 kernel right now. Besides, with what I do with my computers and where I go on the internet, the chances of me getting into trouble with my present 4.10.0-38 kernel are........very slim and none.
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Re: 'Kernel memory leaking' Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign

Unread post by yereverluvinuncleber » 2018-01-16, 16:34

Just transfer any secure transactions you have to undertake to a Raspberry Pi. You can also browse to your heart's content on the darkest part of the net and not have to worry about Spectre in any form.
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Re: 'Kernel memory leaking' Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign

Unread post by Moonchild » 2018-01-16, 16:39

I don't particularly see a reason to update my bios with something risky if the software I use isn't vulnerable (e.g. Pale Moon). You only need to mitigate it in one location after all.
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Re: 'Kernel memory leaking' Intel processor design flaw forces Linux, Windows redesign

Unread post by New Tobin Paradigm » 2018-01-16, 17:00

They weren't updating the BIOS or Firmware.. This was from the kernel patch..

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