Security flaw found in x86 Chips

AN ANCIENT FLAW IN in the x86 architecture has resurfaced as a potential new rootkit threat.

Joanna Rutkowska and Rafal Wojtczuk have released a proof-of-concept rootkit that a hacker can install on a system through a vulnerability in Intel CPUs' caching memory. The rootkit attacks System Management Mode (SMM) memory, called SMRAM and is nearly impossible to get rid of.

The problem has been fixed on Intel motherboards, but older Intel boards are apparently wide open. µ

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