Researcher claims to have discovered universal attack code for Intel chips: no one is safe

Also, he says he found Intel's diary and is totally telling everybody about that one thing. But seriously, we think Kris Kaspersky is being a bit of a tease here. He claims to have found a flaw in Intel's processors that would allow a hacker to bust up on a computer using JavaScript or TCP/IP, with no regard for what operating system the computer is running... only he won't say what it is. He's planning on unveiling the attack at the Hack In The Box conference in Malaysia this October, where he says he'll show working code that can take control of computers, all of which he plans to release publicly. The attack takes advantage of known errata in chips, which most vendors have a workaround for in BIOS, but not all. XP, Vista, Linux, BSD and Mac operating systems are all vulnerable, so we all get to run around panicking until October -- unless somebody figures it out first.

[Dillon @ Jul 16th 2008 3:10PM]

Looks like AMD has won this time.

[tom @ Jul 16th 2008 3:18PM]

^ I sure hope so! Or is it Kaspersky hasn't got to AMD yet? LOL

[DSeaver @ Jul 16th 2008 3:22PM]

Is that true? Doesn't AMD use the Intel instruction set? That would mean it could be affected by this code. Looks like ARM/PPC/SPARC/etc. has won this time!

[Jonyah @ Jul 16th 2008 3:29PM]

amd uses the same instruction sets yes, but they are implemented different. it is possible this just effects intel, which would be really cool (I have machines running on either). I'm not a fanboy of either even though I used to work for AMD, but each company has benefits to me (intel in mobile of course and amd for afforable desktops

[tom @ Jul 16th 2008 3:29PM]

AFAIK -only x86 and MMX and SSE and SSE2 and more SSE#

[Andrew @ Jul 16th 2008 3:47PM]

The attack is used on the errata found in the INTEL CPUs.. Unless AMD's errata are identical to Intel's, it likely will be rendered useless (unless modified). I'm sure it won't be long before more and more hardware-attacks are found as more and more people move toward alternative OS's .. This is a reason why I dislike CISC CPUs, and why RISC is a better alternative - less Points of Failure.
If Intel only didn't have so much money to plow through the issues it faced with CISC at the beginning ...

[Fara @ Jul 16th 2008 4:19PM]

Intels present CPUs aren't CISC. Except for the Atom.

Also, PowerPC G4 and G5 weren't RISC.

They're Post-RISC/Post-CISC. They implement ideas from both ideologies.

Saying that RISC is better is sooooo 1980's

[OneLove @ Jul 16th 2008 5:57PM]

That's why I use my own home made chip.

[simple3 @ Jul 16th 2008 6:34PM]

and i make my own salsa!

[Matthew C @ Jul 16th 2008 7:15PM]

Oh how I miss the PPC Mac...

[Anthony @ Jul 17th 2008 1:52AM]

mmmmhmmmm AMD tri-core !

im down =]

[Brian! @ Jul 16th 2008 3:11PM]

Hrmm. This seems pretty weak. Javascript or TCP/IP? So there is a Javascript command that he can run in any browser that can take over my computer?

Or some TCP/IP special signal?

I look forward to the follow-up story on this one.

[Vonce @ Jul 16th 2008 4:53PM]

Yeah I agree with Brian! - weak

JavaScript/ TCP/IP + Java ?

"The proof-of-concept attacks will show how processor bugs, called errata, can be exploited using certain instruction sequences and a knowledge of how Java compilers work, allowing an attacker to take control of the compiler. "

So what: a hacker can take control of the Java Virtual Machine compiler on my computer - NOW WHAT? Even if you could upload some code, compile it, and run it on my computer, it'd still be in the VM. What's Kris Kaspersky gonna do- break openoffice on everyone's computer?

[KarlW @ Jul 17th 2008 2:40AM]

Javascript still executes code on the CPU. Knowing how a set of javascript commands will be interpreted, and the processor errata, he can design a script to fall in to some of the holes.

That said, I'm not sure how he goes from errata -> stealing CC numbers or whatever.

[siriusfox @ Jul 17th 2008 10:36AM]

From the looks of things, this article incorrectly ties javascript into the method that will be used. I get the feeling that this is more java based than anything, and it sounds like he uses a CPU exploit to gain control of the java compiler, then uses JAVA EXPLOITS to gain further control of the system. Either that or the other way around.

Frankly though, he says that these would be undetectable and unpatchable at the system level, but I have a hard time believing that OS makers can't figure out the specific problems presented by these bugs, and simple workaround to prevent them at the lower levels of the system.

[Philippe @ Jul 16th 2008 3:12PM]

Does it also provide free energy?

[Scott @ Jul 16th 2008 3:55PM]

Seriously though, he must be a smart guy but you would think these people could find something useful to do with there time.

[Aedile @ Jul 16th 2008 3:59PM]

No but it blends and plays Quake.
-aedile-

[Ghen @ Jul 17th 2008 7:48AM]

My same thought. Cracking processors is the new perpetual motion / free energy announcement.

[bob @ Jul 16th 2008 3:13PM]

so is this bios level? does that mean efi is safe?

[xstream @ Jul 16th 2008 3:13PM]

have i told you i've found the key to free energy, beer and sex but i won't tell anybody lol

[retro77 @ Jul 16th 2008 3:14PM]

So glad to be an AMD fanboy today.

[xcrunk @ Jul 16th 2008 3:14PM]

Neo, you are the one!

[neofolklore @ Jul 17th 2008 8:26AM]

thank you

[rutsy5 @ Jul 16th 2008 3:20PM]

shat

[joe @ Jul 16th 2008 3:20PM]

best movie ever.

[rock99rock @ Jul 16th 2008 5:39PM]

No, no it wasn't. It was good, but no Godfather/Braveheart/Saving Private Ryan. /Ace Ventura for good measure.

[yuppicide @ Jul 16th 2008 3:21PM]

The password is UP UP DOWN DOWN LEFT RIGHT LEFT RIGHT A B START.

They can't do anything to my computer, though. I'm invincible. I'm also not connected to the internet.

[EricR @ Jul 16th 2008 3:25PM]

I see what you did there...

[paul @ Jul 16th 2008 3:30PM]

FAIL.

B A start.

[Rocketboy @ Jul 16th 2008 3:32PM]

What did he do? I'm confused.

[vileta2 @ Jul 16th 2008 3:42PM]

Isn't it ^ ^ v v < > < > X O? And where did the START come from? Are we talking about the same thing?

[Steven @ Jul 16th 2008 3:44PM]

@ vileta2

The code for the original Contra is ^ ^ v v< >< >BA Start. Must be talking about two different things.

[initialxy @ Jul 16th 2008 3:24PM]

wow that sounds pretty bad. take control of a computer using JavaScript? i will be interested to see the demo.

[ShadowKain @ Jul 16th 2008 3:27PM]

That form the movie Hackers?

[Dan @ Jul 16th 2008 4:13PM]

indeed it is, zero-cool

[ryan.sahb @ Jul 17th 2008 2:58AM]

I laugh so hard everytime I watch that movie :D

"OH NOES THEY IS BREAKING OUR TOWERS"

[SuperSexyErik @ Jul 16th 2008 3:28PM]

Do you now see why iPhone doesn't use intel? Steve jobs can see the future!

[Jonyah @ Jul 16th 2008 3:31PM]

ya steve jobs sees the future.... and all macs run on intel.

[SuperSexyErik @ Jul 16th 2008 3:45PM]

wrong. Some run on powerpc. Fool

[Paul Dullford @ Jul 16th 2008 8:18PM]

Puhleeze. First off, no further Macs at all use PowerPC, which is basically a dead platform for PC's now that the only thing out there using it that people still sell is the Xbox 360. Second off, you think Steve Jobs sees the future because of his reality distortion field when all he is doing is replicating stuff that has been going on for the past few years and making it more friendly. (Multi-touch? Do a search for Jeff Han. Graphical user interface for the first Mac? Do a search for Xerox's GUI. And so on.)
And to defeat your point completely, the iPhone tangentially is an Intel processor because basic architecture of its Xscale processor was developed by Intel. There.

[iamsoinsane @ Jul 17th 2008 9:28PM]

Gotta do it....

Epi...err Legendary Fail.... Erik

dun dun dunnnnn...

[digitallysick @ Jul 16th 2008 3:29PM]

Code that could control any computer in the world regardless of OS. Wow, i would say he better be careful, a lot of people will be after this.

[macserv @ Jul 18th 2008 12:21AM]

I'll believe it when I see it successfully compromise a Linux machine and a Mac OS X system remotely, with no direct access to the hardware. Definitely an intriguing notion, though.

And by "Mac OS X system," I mean a legal, EFI-equipped box, made by Apple... not a "clone".

[thedesolate1 @ Jul 16th 2008 3:33PM]

yup just go ahead and tell every hacker out there instead of just informing the hardware manufactureres. So all of us with intel chips can get screwed.

[NG @ Jul 16th 2008 7:40PM]

no worries, big ass firm like that will go and shut him up lol

[Tim @ Jul 16th 2008 9:06PM]

If he just informed the manufacturer, do you really think that the problem would be fixed in a timely manner? Seriously doubtful. However, give out the code, and all the sudden Intel has a strong NEED to fix the problem....

[Carlo Montagnino @ Jul 16th 2008 3:33PM]

I wrote a greasemonkey script that finds the names of members of van halen and makes links out of them to google searches of their names. It also inserts a little "VH" logo next to it.

NOONE IS SAFE

[Carlo Montagnino @ Jul 16th 2008 3:35PM]

Some dude who just learned binary code for the same purpose is really pissed right now.

[Snatcher (MDF - Halo Ring) @ Jul 17th 2008 2:08AM]

I bet if he used some of his time to "hack" womens panties he'd have a better life..... just sayin..