Intel forbids clients from making L1TF fix performance hit public

Posted on Thursday, August 23 2018 @ 13:18 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck
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Earlier this month, Intel confessed researchers found three L1 Terminal Fault (L1TF) vulnerabilities in its processors. Just like with the other speculative execution bugs, the software fixes for L1TF hurt the performance of Intel's processors.

Now word is going around that Intel is forbidding clients from publishing or providing any software benchmark or comparison test result that reveal the impact of the new microcode updates. On his blog, Bruce Perens calls the new Intel microcode update license terms unacceptable:
You will not, and will not allow any third party to (i) use, copy, distribute, sell or offer to sell the Software or associated documentation; (ii) modify, adapt, enhance, disassemble, decompile, reverse engineer, change or create derivative works from the Software except and only to the extent as specifically required by mandatory applicable laws or any applicable third party license terms accompanying the Software; (iii) use or make the Software available for the use or benefit of third parties; or (iv) use the Software on Your products other than those that include the Intel hardware product(s), platform(s), or software identified in the Software; or (v) publish or provide any Software benchmark or comparison test results.
The performance hit is primarily an issue for datacenters and cloud providers, for end-users the need to install the fixes is smaller as the risk of side-channel and timing attacks is negligible.

Via: TPU


About the Author

Thomas De Maesschalck

Thomas has been messing with computer since early childhood and firmly believes the Internet is the best thing since sliced bread. Enjoys playing with new tech, is fascinated by science, and passionate about financial markets. When not behind a computer, he can be found with running shoes on or lifting heavy weights in the weight room.



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