If you thought you are done with CPU related malware like Spectre and Meltdown, think again. Google and Microsoft have now detected one more flaw, Speculative Store Bypass (variant 4) that behaves almost on the same lines as those 2 vulnerabilities and target the speculative execution present in the latest versions of computer processors.
However, Intel has found the solution to this new bug as well and that the patches are already available for users. The vulnerability being similar the solution is also identical.
For the devices under manufacture, Intel has delivered the firmware to mitigate Speculative Store Bypass to the manufacturers and the PCs and laptops that ship from here on should have the firmware pre-loaded in them. The only factor to be kept in consideration is that the remedy for this vulnerability could affect the performance of the processor, though not by much.
In a statement, Microsoft has indicated that the new vulnerability was found as early as in November of last year and the company has been working with the leading chipset makers, AMD and Intel since then, working on the solution. The area they are focusing on is how to tackle any possible impact on the performance of the processor. Any further solutions that they are able to come up with will be shared with the customers, the company has assured.
Intel, on its part, has let it be known that its next generation processors in the Xeon series will be completely free form any of these vulnerabilities and the company has redesigned the processors.
Experts also add that it is for the system administrators to understand the context and take care of the individual and connected devices in their environment. It is also being affirmed that the Speculative Store Bypass vulnerability is not really that menacing as the previous 2 mentioned above, Meltdown and Spectre.