Re: [PATCH] x86/cpu, x86/pti: Do not enable PTI on AMD processors

From: Tim Mouraveiko
Date: Wed Jan 03 2018 - 14:41:48 EST


On 12/26/2017 09:43 PM, Tom Lendacky wrote:
>AMD processors are not subject to the types of attacks that the kernel page table isolation
feature protects against.

There is no doubt this is a serious flaw. This thread reminded me - about a year ago we
discovered a software code that bricked an Intel CPU. The software code was executed and
the processor seized. The Motherboard was reset via the reset button, but the processor
never came back. It was rather dead - the CPU did not even draw any power. We contacted
Intel and one of their personnel suggested that they were aware of it. I never quite
understood if it was a processor feature or a flaw.

Tim