Side-Channel Attack Vulnerability in Microprocessors by Unknown Vendor

CVE-2018-9056

Summary

This vulnerability affects microprocessors that utilize speculative execution, enabling unauthorized information disclosure to attackers with local user access. Through the exploitation of the directional branch predictor, specifically the pattern history table (PHT), unauthorized users can gain access to sensitive information via side-channel attacks. This exploit demonstrates the potential risks inherent in modern microprocessor design and highlights the need for enhanced security measures.

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