• Michael
• On January 4, 2018

Kernel Memory Leak flaw affects processors from the last 10 years

Windows, Linux, MacOS, and other computer operating systems running on Intel or AMD chips could be exposed to a serious security threat as a major design flaw in the processors was found in November last year.

It’s connected to the kernel memory, and a significant redesigns of Linux, Windows and macOS kernels were required to fix this chip-level bug. Unfortunately, the OS patches that separates kernel memory from user processing will lead to slower machines. The real impact on the performance is yet to be calculated, but depending on the task you are running, your PC may become up to 25% slower.

Microsoft has started rolling out the kernel fix to all Windows 10 machines, while Windows 7 and 8 will receive the update on January 16^th. The company is also rolling out the January 2017 cumulative update with build 16299.192. It includes quality improvements and fixes related to Microsoft Edge, Task Manager, Scripting Engine, Video playback, and many others. Find the changelog here.