• anlumo@feddit.de
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    8
    ·
    1 year ago

    It wasn’t branch prediction alone, it was the cache combined with branch prediction. The problem is that even discarded outcomes fill the cache with data. Those older vulnerabilities also had the problem that the access permissions check was done after the branch prediction. It’s probably too expensive to do when it’s not even clear yet whether the branch is going to be taken (that’s just speculation on my part though).

    • jumperalex@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      7
      ·
      1 year ago

      (that’s just speculation on my part though).

      I see what you did there, even if you didn’t :)