EmbeddingGemma 2: an open, lightweight multimodal embedding model
deepmind.google·6d ago
AI Engineering
Hacker News·Aug 10·5 min read
Exploiting System Management Mode with a very long interrupt
TL;DR
A new vulnerability in System Management Mode (SMM) allows an attacker to exploit a long-running instruction to bypass security. This enables one CPU core to remain outside SMM while another is compromised, creating a potential attack vector.
✦ Why It Matters
Review your systems for potential vulnerabilities related to SMM and long-running instructions.
Key Takeaways
- Investigate SMM vulnerabilities in your systems immediately.
- Consider implementing patches for known SMM-related CVEs.
- Test your hardware for potential long instruction exploits.
- Stay updated on security research related to CPU architectures.
How It Works
The exploit takes advantage of the SMM synchronization requirement by executing a long instruction on one core, preventing it from responding to SMM interrupts. This allows the other core to enter SMM while the first core remains active, effectively breaking the security model that assumes no other operations occur during SMM execution.