Spoiler Vulnerability
The Spoiler Vulnerability is a vulnerability in the Intel hardware that can be exploited to carry out malware attacks. Since the Spoiler Vulnerability is located in software associated with specific hardware, it can be used to attack computers regardless of the operating system, meaning that malware that exploits the Spoiler Vulnerability can infect both devices that use iOS or OSX operating systems and Microsoft Windows. The Spoiler Vulnerability was revealed in March 2019, although Intel did not move to fix it immediately, claiming that the Spoiler Vulnerability could be mitigated via other means. Currently, there is no security patch for the Spoiler Vulnerability. This vulnerability has been labeled as CVE-2019-0162.
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The Spoiler Vulnerability in the Intel Hardware
The Spoiler Vulnerability exploits leakage that enables side-channel attacks. The Spoiler Vulnerability can be used to map the infected device's memory and collect data from the victim. While the Spoiler Vulnerability can be used to map system memory, it does not seem that it can be used for more than this, allowing Intel to claim that the Spoiler Vulnerability is not severe. However, the Spoiler Vulnerability allows extending other malware attacks and has been linked to other problems and possible exploits. While Intel has not released a patch for the Spoiler Vulnerability, they have release documentation of best practices to allow software developers to mitigate the effects of the Spoiler Vulnerability. Essentially, the Spoiler Vulnerability is based on exploiting the way Intel processors make repetitive tasks faster. They do this by copying data to a buffer. Intruders using the Spoiler Vulnerability can read the contents of this buffer and even copy the saved data, allowing them to gain information about the targeted device. This information can be used to increase the reach of other attacks. Attacks that could use the Spoiler Vulnerability ar worrying especially because these are the attacks that manipulate the targeted devices BIOS configuration and other root settings, which can be some of the most difficult sorts of threats to deal with.
What is the Spoiler Vulnerability
The Spoiler Vulnerability was first revealed by researchers in the United States and Germany, noting that the Spoiler Vulnerability will affect all Intel processors going back to the first generation of Intel Core processors. The Spoiler Vulnerability makes devices vulnerable regardless of the operating system running on them. However, the Spoiler Vulnerability does not reveal secret data stored on the infected device. This is unlike other side-channel attacks such as Spectre that can be used to collect secret data such as passwords. However, these attacks can be used in coordination to carry out more devastating attacks. Intel has claimed that existing Kernel protections in its devices can already reduce the risk of attackers taking advantage of vulnerabilities such as the Spoiler Vulnerability, reducing the need for an immediate, urgent security patch. However, these vulnerabilities have a way of escalating, making it imperative that Intel releases a patch as soon as possible.
Protecting Devices from Exploits Such as the Spoiler Vulnerability
Unfortunately, it is not easy to protect devices from exploits like the Spoiler Vulnerability. Fortunately, these exploits generally require physical access to a device, making it unlikely that a vulnerability like the Spoiler Vulnerability will be used to attack individual computer users. Rather, it is software developers and computer manufacturers that must be aware of vulnerabilities like the Spoiler Vulnerability and make sure that their devices are well protected against these possible entry points. This is what makes malware researchers strongly advise device manufacturers and software developers to be aware of best practices released by Intel and security researchers to ensure that the potential effects of Spoiler Vulnerability are mitigated.
