The big security news this week was the discovery of a flaw in virtually all AMD chips dating back to 2006. Without going into too much technical detail the flaw allows an attacker to run their own code at a highly privileged hardware level and even store that code in hardware where it is virtually undetectable. Once stored, that code is impossible to remove without specialist hardware tools. In fact, the security researchers who discovered the vulnerability have suggested that it would be easier to dispose of an infected machine than try to disinfect it!
AMD are working on mitigations for all their recent CPUs, however, some popular older CPUs like the Ryzen 3000 series will not be getting a fix. If you’re still running an AMD Ryzen or Athlon CPU from the 3000 series or earlier, now is the time to consider upgrading. If you’re running a newer Ryzen CPU, keep an eye out for a firmware update for your motherboard in the coming weeks.
For more information on the vulnerability, see AMD’s Security Bulletin here: https://www.amd.com/en/resources/product-security/bulletin/amd-sb-7014.html
Do you need help with either the firmware upgrade or a replacement business PC? Contact Raspberry IT today.
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