Apple says Macs, iPhones exposed to chip flaws
But updates said to mitigate the security vulnerability
Apple Inc. said all Mac computers and iOS devices, such as iPhones and iPads, are affected by chip security flaws unearthed this week, but the company stressed there are no known exploits impacting users.
The Cupertino, Calif.-based company said recent software updatesfor iPads, iPhones, iPod touches, Mac desktops and laptops and the Apple TV set-top box mitigate one of the vulnerabilities known as Meltdown. The Apple Watch, which runs a derivative of the iPhone’s operating system, is not affected, according to the company.
Despite concern that fixes may slow down devices, Apple said its steps to address the Meltdown issue haven’t dented performance. The company will release an update to its Safari web browser in coming days to defend against another form of the security flaw known as Spectre. These steps could slow the speed of the browser by less than 2.5 per cent, Apple said in a statement posted on its website.
Intel Corp. on Wednesday confirmed a report stating that its semiconductors contain a vulnerability based around a chip-processing technique called speculative execution.
Intel said its chips, which power Macs and devices from other manufacturers, contain the flaw as well as processors based on ARM Holdings architecture, which is used in iOS devices and Android smartphones.
In December, Apple came under fire for iPhone software changes that reduced the performance of some older models of its smartphone. Alongside an apology and an explanation that a software change was implemented to balance out the ef- fect of aging batteries, the company reduced the cost of replacing the power units through the end of 2018.
Security experts have said highly regulated sectors of industry, such as government offices and public health institutions, are most at risk of compromise as a result of the chip security vulnerability.