[Dailydave] Using microarchitecture bugs to beat authenticated pointers.

If you've walked through the Underworld long enough, you've run into demons. Or maybe it's the other way around - by running into enough demons, you might realize you are walking through the Underworld. And by making friends with them, if you are lucky, you might realize you are a demon yourself. [image: image.png] My brother in Zeus - this is just tempting the Fates. Every so often an exploit from the Underworld is found. Maybe one or two a year is dragged screaming curses in a long-dead language out into the sunlight, pinned against a Kaspersky GReaT blogpost, and vivasected for the world. Sometimes these are simple bugs, with complex exploitation chains. Sometimes these are complex bugs, but with reliable simple exploit chains. Occasionally you see a host of bugs, all linked together like fire ants fording a stream. If you've walked through the Underworld enough you'll simply nod in recognition of them, perhaps stop to admire the artwork of the Runes carved into their skins by some unknown spellcrafter. My point is this: it doesn't matter what the real-world utility is for an exploit, because demons don't care. They operate partially in the future, perhaps. Or maybe ignoring real-world utility evolved as a sense of necessity of staying ahead of the eyes hunting for them. I'm not sure. But my rule - a core axiom of persistent engagement - is that if it can be done, it is being done already. -dave