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	Wed, 12 Nov 1997 12:26:18 -0500 (EST)
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Date: Wed, 12 Nov 1997 12:26:17 -0500
From: Christopher Masto <chris@netmonger.net>
To: jerry_hicks@bigfoot.com
Cc: freebsd-chat@freebsd.org
Subject: Re: Pentium bug (really)
References: <64cier$a60$1@schenectady.netmonger.net> <3469E12E.7C08C8C3@ix.netcom.com>
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In-Reply-To: <3469E12E.7C08C8C3@ix.netcom.com>; from Jerry Hicks on Wed, Nov 12, 1997 at 12:02:38PM -0500
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On Wed, Nov 12, 1997 at 12:02:38PM -0500, Jerry Hicks wrote:
> Christopher Masto wrote:
> > 
> > I either joined this mailing list too late or joined the wrong mailing
> > lists.  Since I'm in charge of an ISP that provides shell accounts, I
> > am on the brink of making a rather important decision.  I am pretty
> > sick of Intel, so replacing our P166s with K6s is somewhat attractive.
> > Still, BSDI claims that Intel has helped them to develop a workaround
> > (which they're not at liberty to explain in detail).  Even if Intel
> > isn't being cooperative with the free software community, it is
> > plausible that "a workaround exists" implies "someone will find it and
> > publish it".
> > 
> > Of course, this is all moot if I missed the announcement that FreeBSD
> > already has the same fix.  Anyway, the big question is.. does it or
> > might it in the near future?
> 
> Seems to me they would have to examine the executable for the pattern in
> question before executing it...
> 
> A malicious person could subvert that quite easily, right?
> 
> Skeptical,
> 
> Jerry Hicks
> jerry_hicks@bigfoot.com

The fact is that they have a workaround.  The bug is bizzare, the
workaround may be just as bizzare - perhaps the failure doesn't occur
given certain register settings that don't affect anything else.. I
don't know, and I'm not particularly interested in speculating on how
it works.  I would consider getting the patch and disassembling it,
but at this time I'd rather not paint myself into a legal corner.
-- 
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