In a first, researchers extract secret key used to encrypt Intel CPU code

Author: anfilt

Score: 51

Comments: 8

Date: 2020-10-28 20:35:03

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brokenmachine wrote at 2020-10-29 05:01:49:

As I understand it, this allows the researchers to decrypt the microcode but not to sign their own modified microcode, is that correct?

mdaniel wrote at 2020-10-28 21:07:10:

Given a magic wand, I would update the link URL to not take one directly to the comments section

efreak wrote at 2020-10-28 22:16:26:

It's somewhat understandable; on Ars, you can go to comments view and expand the full story, then forget you're actually on the comments.

gpav wrote at 2020-10-29 00:05:34:

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/10/in-a-first-researche...

anfilt wrote at 2020-10-28 21:11:52:

Ooops, my bad. Sadly, I can only update the title.

pontifier wrote at 2020-10-29 01:29:36:

I seem to recall hearing that some CPUs were hobbled or otherwise limited by software for product diferentiation, but were otherwise identical.

I wonder if this can be used to unlock additional cores or features on some CPUs.

dragosmocrii wrote at 2020-10-29 02:44:32:

they are not necessarily identical. however during fabrication, there might be deffects in some cores, so Intel can disable some cores and market it as a lower end product. it is called binning

rasz wrote at 2020-10-29 07:54:56:

binning locking down multiplier change? lets not kid ourselves