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Intel Publishes Microcode Patches, No Benchmarking or Comparison Allowed

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Re: Intel Publishes Microcode Patches, No Benchmarking or Comparison Allowed

#91

Post by [deleted] »

theprotocol wrote: post #68
infinity0 wrote: post #45

> Another issue is whether the customer should install the fix at all. Many computer users don’t allow outside or unprivileged users to run on their CPUs the way a cloud or hosting company does. For them, these side-channel and timing attacks are mostly irrelevant, and the slowdown incurred by installing the fix is unnecessary. lol, javascript

>Another issue is whether the customer should install the fix at all Microsoft will surely decide for me on my Windows 10 gaming PC. Better save my work (which I sometimes do even on a gaming machine) frequently lest the masters deem it fit to restart while I'm away having lunch if they decide I can live with the performance hit.

[deleted]

Re: Intel Publishes Microcode Patches, No Benchmarking or Comparison Allowed

#92

Post by gnud »

FiloSottile wrote: post #23

Forget benchmarks, how is (iii) (“You will not [...] use or make the Software available for the use or benefit of third parties”) compatible with shared hosting and rented virtual machines, where the provider has to apply the microcode for the benefit of the guests?

Forget shared hosts, how about when I write something for my client on my employers machine? I'm using the software for the benefit of a third party...

Re: Intel Publishes Microcode Patches, No Benchmarking or Comparison Allowed

#93

Post by flcknzwrg »

This borders on unbelievable...

I checked at intel directly just to make sure this is true: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/28039/Linux-Proces... The file https://downloadmirror.intel.com/28039/eng/microcode-2018080... contains the license file with that laughable clause included.

Now hand me the popcorn...

Re: Intel Publishes Microcode Patches, No Benchmarking or Comparison Allowed

#94

Post by harry8 »

I would like to see the New York Times co publish benchmarks with phoronix (or whomever has the relevant expertise and credibility) with a box detailing the ridiculous license and an editorial suggesting Intel investors may have cause for concern about managerial competence.

Re: Intel Publishes Microcode Patches, No Benchmarking or Comparison Allowed

#95

Post by jve »

> Since some similar exploits have been discovered for AMD and ARM CPUs, the answer is probably “no”. But certainly customers are upset.

Whats to be upset? Don't update if you are upset. Choose between perf/security. What are the options, anyway? You can be upset that the things are the way they are, however you can't blame Intel/AMD/ARM, etc. You should have been upset if these vulerabilities were known and not fixed thou.

Re: Intel Publishes Microcode Patches, No Benchmarking or Comparison Allowed

#96

Post by frozenport »

headmelted wrote: post #50

Before Zen, we all kind of assumed they were so far ahead that AMD were more likely to be out of business before they would ever be a credible threat again. I actually thought Intel must have had some tricks up their sleeves in terms of performance gains that we hadn't seen yet, simply because there was no market need to roll them out and they had so many years of coasting on marginal gains. Seeing them taking this s…

The only problem with Intel is the price point. Given that the R&D is sunk, and the COGs are about 8x, their profitability is entirely market demand.

Re: Intel Publishes Microcode Patches, No Benchmarking or Comparison Allowed

#97

Post by mpartel »

beefhash wrote: post #14

As a side note: Some of the license changes also block Debian from updating their intel-microcode package[1]. [1] https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=906158#14

My guess is Intel will revert the license change soon. It's just too absurd to stay. But if not, I wonder if distros could have two packages, named with appropriate and well-deserved passive-aggressiveness, e.g.: intel-microcode-insecure and intel-microcode-legally-restricted.

Re: Intel Publishes Microcode Patches, No Benchmarking or Comparison Allowed

#98

Post by ikeyany »

ddtaylor wrote: post #77

2018 has been an abysmal year for Intel so far. Multiple serious vulnerabilities that effect multiple areas of their products, Spectre, Meltdown, Management Engine, etc. The only thing they can control is how they respond and they've done a terrible job of that too. At this rate I'm expecting a consumer product agency to eventually get involved.

They also got rid of their CEO this year.

Re: Intel Publishes Microcode Patches, No Benchmarking or Comparison Allowed

#99

Post by wtallis »

gammatrigono wrote: post #76

Time to disable automatic Windows Updates.

Windows automatic updates are one of the easier ways to get the new microcode without agreeing to the new license terms. But there are plenty of other reasons to disable Windows Update (not that Windows will respect your decision).

Re: Intel Publishes Microcode Patches, No Benchmarking or Comparison Allowed

#100

Post by bluecalm »

Here is one thing we can do about it: make public service announcement to our users that we no longer recommend Intel CPUs because of security holes, censorship and crippled performance.

I am going to do that today. While we only have several thousand users they do CPU intensive work, buy a lot of new CPUs and rent a lot of servers. My small contribution will likely amount to low-mid 6 figures out of Intel pocket in coming 2-3 years.

Please consider such announcement if you could do some damage as well.

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