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p style=”text-align: justify;”>Security researchers have uncovered two new vulnerabilities in modern Apple processors, named FLOP and SLAP, which could allow attackers to remotely steal sensitive data through web browsers. Discovered by researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology and Ruhr University Bochum, these flaws exploit speculative execution, a performance optimization feature in Apple’s processors, to extract private user data from browsers like Safari and Chrome.
How FLOP and SLAP Exploit Speculative Execution
Speculative execution is a technique used by modern processors to predict and execute instructions in advance, improving performance. However, flaws in its implementation have led to significant security issues in the past, such as the Spectre and Meltdown attacks. FLOP and SLAP build on these exploits, demonstrating how Apple’s latest chips can be manipulated to leak private information.
FLOP (False Load Output Prediction) affects Apple’s M3, M4, and A17 processors. These chips attempt to predict not only which memory addresses will be accessed but also the actual data values stored in memory. If a misprediction occurs, the CPU may use incorrect data in temporary computations. Attackers can exploit this by measuring cache timing differences, allowing them to extract sensitive information before the system corrects itself. Researchers demonstrated FLOP by ste
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