Spectre
New Spectre v2 attack variant leaks Linux root password hash in minutes
A new Spectre v2 attack variant called Branch Target Reuse (BTR) can recover root password hashes from Intel computers running Linux in just a few minutes. A BTR attack exploits stale information in a processor’s branch predictor after a just-in-time (JIT) engine reuses memory for new code. By manipulating this leftover information, an attacker can […]
New TONTOU CPU attack bypasses Spectre v2 fixes, leaks Linux password hashes
Successfully exploiting the issue requires overcoming several obstacles, including redirecting kernel control flow, precisely aligning interrupts with the post-neutralization window, and using the interrupt handler to poison the branch predictor entry associated with the target indirect branch. The researchers address these challenges through installing ‘timers’ to trigger hardware interrupts, frequent injection of interrupts, and via […]
BIOS flaws expose iSeq DNA sequencers to bootkit attacks
BIOS/UEFI vulnerabilities in the iSeq 100 DNA sequencer from U.S. biotechnology company Illumina could let attackers disable devices used for detecting illnesses and developing vaccines. The Illumina iSeq 100 is advertised as a DNA sequencing system that medical and research labs can use to deliver “rapid and cost-effective genetic analysis.” Firmware security company Eclypsium analyzed […]