A security issue caused by a design flaw was discovered in millions of Intel processor chips manufactured over the past five years.
An issue with certain Intel chips makes computers using those chips vulnerable despite encryption programs being used. The compromised chips leave the computer unprotected during the initial start-up phase, at a time when a skilled coder could override the computer’s encryption. At this time, the vulnerability appears to be very difficult to exploit.
For its part, Intel recommends users “maintain physical possession of their platform” and “adopt best security practices by installing updates...and being continually vigilant to detect and prevent intrusions and exploitations.”