Zombies are attacking computers across the globe! Well, not really.

ZombieLoad: The Latest Security Threat

ZombieLoad is the newest attack on computers. The attack is using a vulnerability in the Central Processor Unit (CPU) of the computer, which functions like your computer’s brain. This attack retrieves data that is being processed from the CPU. It is important to note that this attack only affects Intel CPUs from 2011 and later which unfortunately means that most computers currently being used are at risk.This attack affects ALL OPERATING SYSTEMS, INCLUDING Linux, Mac OS, and Windows. It also targets both servers and regular computers since many of these devices use similar Intel CPUs.

What steps can I take to prevent the Zombie attacks?

While the ZombieLoad apocalypse is scary, we have great news! The Operating System (OS) developers have started pushing out security patches to fix this vulnerability. In these patches a lot of the OS developers have taken the major steps to protect your systems, so as long as you are up to date on your patches then you should be protected.

How will that affect my computer?

The OS updates fix this vulnerability by disabling CPU hyper-threading, which is a process that allows the CPUs to run faster and more effectively.Now you are probably wondering if this will slow down your computer. Intel, the company that created these CPUs, has said that users may see a decrease in performance of 3%-9%, but other experts disagree. Researchers and many of the companies that develop the operating systems are reporting much larger decreases in performance, with some reporting as much as a 30%-40% drop. It is important to note about this is that if you see a performance drop on one of these devices such as a Chromebook or a Mac, it is because they are taking the necessary precautions on the device and not because they are actively trying to hinder your performance. Many people won’t realize this, leading them to question the computer manufacturer. Unfortunately, this is an important step is necessary to protect devices that are suffering from this flaw in Intel’s processors.

Is Your Computer Safe?

Here at Sawyer Solutions, we are happy to assist you if you would like some additional advice on how to properly ensure your devices are protected. The biggest things we can recommend if you have a device with an intel chip in it, which can be identified by having a blue Intel sticker on the case, we would highly recommend making sure you have the most recent updates and patches. Give us a call at (844) 448-7767 or send us a note if you would like us to verify that your network and your devices are secure.