Whats next.. Is there a certian data stream that the pentium will execute
if it sees it, making 'email-virii' a real possiblity????
On Thu, 13 Nov 1997, Alan Cox wrote:
> > > > instruction, all others starting at interrupt 7 which is the quite critical
> > > > (FPU context switches) should not experience any performance degradation.
> > > Yep
> >
> > So am I correct in understanding that intel will probably escape a
> > multibillion dollar replacement program because the illegal
> > instruction interupt number is lower than the FPU one?
>
> Well that would assume there arent other alternative and maybe better fixes.
> I suspect even if the FPU performance had dropped a bit Intel wouldn't be
> replacing chips - they've have got a passable work around for a product that
> isnt warranted to be correct.
>
> At the moment its not clear if the page table trick fixes all cases, and there
> may be other pentium bugs. Robert Collins has stated he knows an even more
> serious bug that allows any task to become privileged, and done so on usenet
> given his apparent nonfriendly relationship with intel the fact this has
> neither been refuted or him sued makes me suspect he is telling the truth.
>
> Alan
>