From owner-freebsd-hardware@FreeBSD.ORG Tue Jul 15 10:19:23 2008 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-hardware@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 109331065676 for ; Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:19:23 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from jdc@parodius.com) Received: from mx01.sc1.parodius.com (mx01.sc1.parodius.com [72.20.106.3]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id EC28D8FC18 for ; Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:19:22 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from jdc@parodius.com) Received: by mx01.sc1.parodius.com (Postfix, from userid 1000) id E532B1CC097; Tue, 15 Jul 2008 03:19:22 -0700 (PDT) Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 03:19:22 -0700 From: Jeremy Chadwick To: Hans Petter Selasky Message-ID: <20080715101922.GA17620@eos.sc1.parodius.com> References: <200807151035.05427.hselasky@c2i.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <200807151035.05427.hselasky@c2i.net> User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.18 (2008-05-17) Cc: freebsd-hardware@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Thinking about buying a new computer - attack code for Intel chips X-BeenThere: freebsd-hardware@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: General discussion of FreeBSD hardware List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:19:23 -0000 On Tue, Jul 15, 2008 at 10:35:04AM +0200, Hans Petter Selasky wrote: > According to the latest news on Slashdot there are now exploits going around > attacking INTEL CPU bugs. Does anyone have a clue about what architectures > and CPUs are safe? My computer is getting old and I might buy a new one. Any > recommendations for a safe choice? Is this a trolling attempt? It almost sounds like one. The Slashdot article reference in question: http://conference.hitb.org/hitbsecconf2008kl/?page_id=214 There's no details provided. It may all be speculative (I strongly doubt it), but no one will know until the presentation takes place. My advice to you is buy whatever it is you wish to buy. Every computing product that is released to consumers has bugs in it -- we're humans, we make mistakes. Besides, if the presentation involves present-day Intel microprocessors, all that (should be) necessary is a microcode patch to address the concerns. It always amuses me how Intel always seems to draw scrutiny. Yes, because I'm absolutely sure AMD, VIA, and Transmeta processors are all flawless. -- | Jeremy Chadwick jdc at parodius.com | | Parodius Networking http://www.parodius.com/ | | UNIX Systems Administrator Mountain View, CA, USA | | Making life hard for others since 1977. PGP: 4BD6C0CB |