Debian developer Breno Leitao has proposed a Linux kernel patch that would allow developers to disable CPU security mitigations at compilation.
CPU mitigations are an important cybersecurity measure, protecting users against Spectre, Meltdown, and other vulnerabilities. These protections come at a cost, however, and some users disable them to achieve maximum performance from their machines. Unfortunately, those users have no easy way to disable the mitigations at compile time, and have to rely on kernel parameters instead.
Leitao, who also serves as a kernel engineer at Meta, proposed the change on the kernel mailing list:
Right now it is not possible to disable CPU vulnerabilities mitigations at build time. Mitigation needs to be disabled passing kernel parameters, such as ‘mitigations=off’.
This patch creates an easy way to disable mitigation during compilation time (CONFIG_DEFAULT_CPU_MITIGATIONS_OFF), so, insecure kernel users don’t need to deal with kernel parameters when booting insecure kernels.
As Phoronix highlights, most users would do well to leave the CPU security mitigations in place. However, there may be cases where it is relatively safe to disable them, such as when a computer has no internet access.
In January of this year, the revelation of memory-related vulnerabilities known as Spectre and Meltdown rocked the entire computing world—everyone had been sitting on top of a potential landmine for decades that hackers could have taken advantage of. After the initial shock wore off, various chip manufacturers immediately came up with ahost of fixes and updates to deal with the discovered bugs. However, Intel is going a step further by redesigning its future processors to be completely Spectre/Meltdown-proof.
The chip maker announced that itsnext-generation processors have been redesigned to incorporate new levels of protection against the Spectre variants. The assurance was made by Intel CEO Brian Krzanich who confirmed that the upcoming products will address these vulnerabilities through “partitioning.”
As explained by Krzanich, this partitioning can be viewed as an extra layer of protection between running applications, which effectively addresses Spectre-like vulnerability issues. The redesigns will be implemented in the upcoming8th-generation Core chips as well as Xeon Scalable “Cascade Lake” processors.
“Think of this partitioning as additional ‘protective walls’ between applications and user privilege levels to create an obstacle for bad actors,” theIntel CEO explained in a blog post.
It is not yet clear if the redesigns and the introduction of partitioning into its processors are going to negatively affect their computing speeds. However, Krzanich’s post seems to hint that performance might not be a big issue at all as he assured that Intel’s “goal is to offer not only the best performance but also the best secure performance.”
Krzanich also gave assurance for those who are currently using older models of Intel processors. According to the CEO, the company’s processors launched in the past five years are now 100 percent protected against Meltdown and Spectre through software updates and fixes.
Convincing the public about the safety of its products is critical for Intel at this moment. Recently, the chip maker was slapped with 30 class-action suits related to the vulnerabilities and was even criticized for trying to downplay the impact of the potential threat of Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities.
Last week, Nvidia ran into some problems with the recently revealed “Meltdown” and “Spectre” bugs. When the manufacturer announced that it would be releasing a new patch to address the memory-related vulnerabilities, some outlets misinterpreted the statement as an indirect admission that perhaps, even its GPU might be vulnerable.
For those who might be wondering what Spectre and Meltdown are, here’s a brief explanation:
Just days after the explosive New Year celebration, the entire computing world received an even more explosive revelation—everyone’s been sitting on top of a security flaw that has existed for more than two decades.
On January 3, Meltdown and Spectre, two security vulnerabilities present in every computer, tablet and even smartphones since 1995, were finally revealed to the world. Before you go ahead and unplugged all your computing devices, just take a deep breath and relax; everything is being taken care of. Patches are being deployed and the vulnerabilities should soon become a thing of the past.
If you have to blame someone, blame it on our need to have our computers run faster. In 1995, manufacturers developed the idea of executing certain computer processes ahead of time, even before users inputted their choice. This process was termed “speculative execution.” For example, if you frequently visit a particular website that requires login credentials, your computer would guess that you would want to enter your password and begin loading the necessary files. This, of course, boosts computing speed as your PC will be correct about your intentions most of the time. The problem starts when the user inputs a choice different from what the computer had predicted. The computer then has to throw away the useless data into the cache memory.
This would not have been a problem back in those days when PCs were usually stand-alone. These days, however, everything is connected and, with this interconnectivity, researchers were actually able to prove that someone connected to the system could actually take a peak at the contents of those rejected data. While it may not necessarily contain sensitive information, there is that chance that it may indeed contain personal data like credit card numbers.
In response to the security vulnerabilities, Nvidia decided to update the driver software of its GPUs. However, Nvidia’s move was misunderstood and some even took it as an admission that even its GPUs could be vulnerable as well.
To address the misconceptions about its products, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang clarified the company’s position during the Q & A portion at a press conference on Wednesday. “Our GPUs are immune, they’re not affected by these security issues,” Huang asserts. “What we did is we released driver updates to patch the CPU security vulnerability.”
As Huang explains it, the patches are basically similar in nature to the patches provided by other tech companies and not an indication that its hardware is particularly vulnerable. “We are patching the CPU vulnerability the same way that Amazon, the same way that SAP, the same way that Microsoft, etc is patching because we have software as well,” he said.
Summing it up, Huang declared, “I am absolutely certain that our GPU is not affected.”
Just what level of threat do those vulnerabilities expose regular users of the internet? According to UPROXX, the general public should not be too worried about it. For starters, those vulnerabilities are very hard to exploit. In addition, there is really no indication that there were security issues that resulted in any exploitation. When you come to think of it, it even took those experts more than two decades to realize that the flaws existed.
Everything should be fine as long as you run the fixes being prepared by various tech companies.
An earthquake that registered as a 5.3-magnitude on the Richter scale was detected at 17:25 GMT today, according to a statement made by the United States Geological Service (USGS). Currently the ‘USGS’ and organizations like the ‘Japan Meteorological Society’ and the analysts at ‘The Weather Channel’ aren’t in complete agreement as to the size of the quake – both of which currently assert that they detected it as a 5.8-magnitude. Regardless of this minor qualm, the incident in itself caused quite a scare. The quake was within a close enough range that it’s effects were once again experienced by the Fukushima Prefecture – the region that is home to the recently devastated Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
The areas primarily affected by the tremors were said to have only been in the constrains of the ‘Intensity II’ category as described in the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale. Intensity II describes areas which the tremors were only felt by a limited number of people who were currently at rest, as well as some movement in the upper floors of buildings and skyscrapers. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, more concisely known as Phivolcs estimated that the epicenter was about 84 kilometers Southeast of General Santos City (Philippines). The group initially cited the coordinates of the epicenter to be 05.45 degrees North latitude and 125.54 degrees East longitude.
After the March 2011 earthquake and subsequent tsunami, the Fukushima Daiichi plant was rendered virtually unusable – as well as being extremely dangerous. In the aftermath of the two natural disasters, Fukushima had three of it’s reactors meltdown and extensive damages were caused to one of the primary fuel cooling pools. Fortunately, the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) had been advised only days before by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to ensure all six reactors were completely shutdown (including the two that weren’t damaged last year). The Prime Minister also encouraged the plant to concentrate their full attention and capabilities toward solving the clean-up and disposal issues associated with the radioactive water leak caused by the disasters that happened in 2011. In pictures of the facility we can see several large barrel shaped tanks that are currently holding the contaminated waste that has already been collected in efforts made by associates of the plant.
During the time the tremors began to effect the Fukushima Prefecture, operations at the plant were being heavily monitored and has thus far not reported any incidents. Seismic activity within the Prefecture registered at a depth of around 13 miles (22 km.). Throughout the history of Japan, the people have been continually plagued by large and often disastrous earthquakes in the majority of the country’s various regions. Japan is the closest country to the vicinity at which four primary tectonic plates are all almost adjacent: the North American plate, the Pacific plate, the Eurasian plate, and the Philippine Sea Plate – the constantly floating plates cause the location to be an extremely seismically active region.
Last Thursday, former child actress Amanda Bynes was arrested at her Manhattan apartment after allegedly throwing a bong out of her window. The police had been called after the Nickelodeon star had allegedly been smoking marijuana in the lobby of her building. She was taken to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation and then taken to jail. On Friday, Bynes was released without bail and is now scheduled to appear in court again in July.
Now, Bynes is using her Twitter account to lash out at everyone – the NYPD, the press, and even her own parents. Though Bynes has become infamous for her Twitter rants over the past few months, her latest claims are easily some of her most grandiose and serious.
Bynes began her rants this weekend by denying the NYPD’s version of her arrest. She denies throwing anything out of her apartment window and claims that she doesn’t drink or do drugs:
“This is all false! Nothing was thrown out the widow! They asked if a vase was a bong to which I replied, no, that’s a vase. I’m very close friends with Nikki Blonsky, we chat all the time! Stop writing pathetic articles about me! E isn’t run by beauty queens like me! I’ve met you all! You’re a bunch of drug users and alcoholics! I don’t drink or do drugs! Get your story straight!”
She followed up her denial by accusing the NYPD of illegally entering her apartment and sexually assaulting her. She then shifts to accusing her parents of money laundering and “unethical manager work,” and states that she is suing them:
“To say I wasn’t offended being treated like a mental insane person/criminal on the night the cops illegally entered my apartment, found nothing, sexually assaulted me, then arrested me taking me to a mental hospital, then locking me up all night for no wrong doing us criminal on THEIR part. My lawyer and I are taking this mistake extremely seriously! You cannot illegally enter my apartment then take me to mental hospital without any grounds. I have never been so offended in my life. They found nothing criminal on me or around me, one cop then sexually assaulted me, so I’m suing for all of the above! I’ll be happy when I get money compensation from the cop who assaulted me and NYPD for wrongfully arresting me and having me put into a mental hospital and jail overnight! I don’t want to keep talking about it. My lawyer is taking care of it for me. My real friends don’t talk about me on twitter. Also, never trust or listen to a word any person from my family says to the press. I am suing them for money laundering/unethical manager work, I never signed a contract with them, and they had been stealing my money without me knowing, claiming they were managing me somehow when they have no right to act as if they did anything to help or enhance my career and I want $ back that I earned on my own. I’m 27 and don’t like when press talks to my parents. My parents are almost 70 years old. We are no longer on speaking terms. I would rather them be homeless than live off of my money.”
Bynes’ latest Twitter rant again accuses the NYPD of lying about her arrest, and states that she will be suing the police. She also took the opportunity to talk about what she hopes will be in her future: another nose job, appearances in music videos, and “a long and wonderful career as a singer/rapper.”
“For once and for all, this is the last thing I’ll say about the mistaken arrest. I’m suing NYPD for illegally entering my apartment, lying about drugs on me and lying about me tampering with non existent drug paraphernalia, then I’m suing for being put into a mental hospital against my will, then locked up overnight for coming home after a facial and working out with my trainer like the good girl that I am. I’m allergic to alcohol and drugs and don’t partake in any of the above. I’m so offended by all of this but so proud to not be a drug or alcohol user. I don’t need to talk about this anymore. My lawyer and I are taking this offense so seriously! Everything they did was against the law and The judge saw that there was no drugs on me or proof of any type of bong or mental illness (I was so offended to even be taken to a mental hospital and they would not let me call my lawyer until the next day after being in jail all night, then I went to court and was immediately released because the judge saw that I was wrongly arrested. The cops found no proof of any type of drug use or evidence of drug paraphernalia such as a bong in or around my apartment) I’m also suing my apartment complex for lying about me smoking in my building. I’m free forever! You can’t lock up an innocent person! Thanks for caring! Look forward to seeing me in music videos! I’m getting in shape and getting a nose job! I’m looking forward to a long and wonderful career as a singer/rapper!”
On Thursday evening, former child actress Amanda Bynes was arrested after creating a disturbance at her Manhattan apartment. Bynes was allegedly smoking marijuana in the lobby of her building, causing the doorman to call police. When police arrived, Bynes allegedly fled to her apartment and flung a bong out of a window. She was arrested, taken to Roosevelt Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation, and then booked on charges of reckless endangerment, tampering with evidence, and possession of marijuana.
Since that time, Bynes has had a preliminary hearing on the charges. The actress faced a judge while wearing the disheveled blonde wig she has been showing off on Twitter for months. Bynes’ lawyer stated during the hearing that the actress denies ever throwing anything out of her window.
The former Nickelodeon actress was released without bail and is scheduled to appear in court again in July. Bynes is already on probation for driving on a suspended license in California.
TMZ has also been able to obtain a mugshot (http://www.tmz.com/2013/05/24/amanda-bynes-mug-shot-shaved-head-arrest-bong/) for Bynes, which shows how short her hair is without her extravagant wigs.
Amanda Bynes has been having a tough year. Following her arrests last year in L.A., the actress’ representatives dropped her, claiming that she is now “uncontrollable.”
Since that time, Bynes has moved to New York and has been acting as her own publicist, with mixed success. While tabloids are printing stories of Bynes acting strangely in public, the actress herself has been posting her weird experiments with makeup and hair to her Twitter account.
Now, the Nickelodeon star is gaining attention by posting topless pics to her Twitter account.
Though Bynes had tweeted pics earlier this week that showed off her cleavage in a lacy bra, her new pics ditch the bra in favor of ripped nylons and strategically placed hair and arms:
Bynes has also been using her Twitter account to rail against tabloids that have been publishing pictures of her in public and accounts of her recent strange behavior:
It seems that Amanda Bynes is dedicated to her strange new style and behavior.
According to an E! News report, the former child star missed a court hearing this week, with the judge granting the actress a continuance. Bynes’ attorney is reportedly waiting on Bynes to sign papers for a negotiated plea deal for the charge of driving on a suspended license.
Last year, Bynes was arrested in April for a D.U.I., though she claimed she doesn’t drink. Later in 2012 she was charged in a hit-and-run incident and had her driver’s license suspended.
Since that time, her agent and publicist have dropped her as a client and she has moved to New York. Bynes has now turned to Twitter as her source of publicity, showing off her new cheek piercings and some intense makeup experimentation.
Bynes is continuing her streak of odd Twitter posts, with cryptic messages and a rather pointed invitation to R&B star Drake:
Former Nickelodeon child star Amanda Bynes has had a rough year. Her decision-making (and driving) skills were called into question in 2012 when she was cited for driving while talking on a phone and later was charged with driving under the influence for a separate incident, despite insisting that she doesn’t drink alcohol. Later that year, Bynes had her driver’s licence revoked for hit-and-run charges involving a police car.
Bynes’ agent and publicist dropped her as a client over the incidents, and she began acting in bizarre ways. Now, even her face is beginning to match her strange behavior.
In between cryptic messages such as “Forgetting past memories” and “Don’t read my mind read my lips,” Bynes’ Twitter feed has been chronicling her changing style and makeup choices.
This week, her latest picture shows off cheek piercings and long, curly blonde hair draped over a camouflage top:
This isn’t the first time Bynes has shown off the odd look. Back on February 7 Bynes showed off her suspicious curly hair and beanie, and on February 15 her cheek piercings were shown off in another pic:
