Intel Security Flaw May Affect Every Mac and PC Made Within A Decade

Is your new Mac or PC running a bit faster than you think it should? The good news is that it’s not your imagination. The bad news is that its the result of a design flaw in Intel chips.

The Register reports that the flaw could affect every computer using Intel chips made within the past decade. An update should be rolling out in the coming days which will fix the vulnerability, but it may slow down your computer. It is estimated that once the flaw is fixed, some affected computers could see as much as a 30 percent drop in performance.

Upon hearing that, some people may be tempted to skip out on this update, but you really shouldn’t. The flaw within Intel’s chips could allow unauthorized users access to your computer.

The full technical details of the flaw are being kept quiet until the security patches have been rolled out, but the basics are simple enough. The vulnerability is centered around the memory kernel of Intel chips. It could allow programs, such as a simple Javascript app, to read the contents of the memory kernel. This could allow third-partie4s to gain access to your passwords or other personal information.

The potential hit in performance is an unintended side-effect of the upcoming patch. The patch will partition the memory kernel into a separate space. The problem is that this will mean the computer will be forced to do more work to access the kernel meaning that it could make your computer run slower.