Intel working to fix security flaw in its chips without slowing computers

Intel Corp on Wednesday acknowledged a report that a design flaw in its chips could let hackers steal data but said that it was working on a solution that would not significantly slow computers.

On Tuesday, tech publication The Register reported the flaw in Intel microprocessors required updates to computer operating systems, adding that the fix causes the chips to operate more slowly.

Intel said the problem was broader than its chips alone and that it was working with Advanced Micro Devices Inc http://bit.ly/2CsRxkj).

"The effects are being benchmarked, however we are looking at a ballpark figure of a five to 30 percent slowdown, depending on the task and the processor model."

Microsoft declined to comment.

It was not immediately clear whether Intel would face any significant financial liability arising from the reported flaw.

"The current Intel problem, if true, would likely not require CPU replacement in our opinion. However the situation is fluid," Hans Mosesmann of Rosenblatt Securities in New York said in a note, adding it could hurt the company`s reputation.

The bug is likely to affect major cloud computing platforms such as Amazon.com Inc`s EC2, Microsoft Azure and Alphabet Inc`s Compute Engine, according to one software blogger cited by The Register.

Microsoft Azure is due to undergo a maintenance reboot on Jan. 10 while Amazon Web Services has also advised customers via email to expect a major security update Friday.

The Register also said that similar operating systems, such as Apple Inc`s 64-bit macOS operating system, would need to be updated.

The Linux patches are based on work by researchers from the Graz University of Technology in Austria who came up with a way to split kernel and user memory spaces to eliminate the security vulnerability.

(This article has not been edited by Zeebiz editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)