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Researcher Exploits 18-Year-Old Design Flaw To Compromise X86 Chips

Posted by samzenpus on from the protect-ya-neck dept.

jfruh writes: Security researcher Christopher Domas has demonstrated a method of installing a rootkit in a PC's firmware that exploits a feature built into every x86 chip manufactured since 1997. The rootkit infects the processor's System Management Mode, and could be used to wipe the UEFI or even to re-infect the OS after a clean install. Protection features like Secure Boot wouldnt help, because they too rely on the SMM to be secure.

2 of 128 comments (clear)

  1. Read Headlines Too Fast by flopsquad · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's what I get for scrolling through the headlines too fast--I see "One Night in the Hotel Room of the Future, Researcher Exploits 18-Year-Old"...

    --
    Nothing posted to /. has ever been legal advice, including this.
  2. Re:HA! by DerekLyons · · Score: 5, Funny

    Slashdot has been quicker to get the news out of late...