CVE-2021-46778 : Security Advisory and Response

This CVE involves a side channel vulnerability affecting AMD processors with specific microarchitectures. The issue arises from execution unit scheduler contention and could potentially lead to sensitive data leakage.

Understanding CVE-2021-46778

What is CVE-2021-46778?

Execution unit scheduler contention may lead to a side channel vulnerability found on AMD CPU microarchitectures codenamed “Zen 1”, “Zen 2”, and “Zen 3” that use simultaneous multithreading (SMT). By measuring the contention level on scheduler queues, an attacker may potentially leak sensitive information.

The Impact of CVE-2021-46778

This vulnerability could result in the leakage of sensitive data and pose a risk to the security and confidentiality of affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-46778

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability stems from execution unit scheduler contention on AMD processors with specific microarchitectures.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: AMD Processors
Vendor: AMD
Affected Version: Processor Some AMD Processors

Exploitation Mechanism

The attacker can measure contention levels on scheduler queues to exploit this side channel vulnerability.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply patches and updates provided by AMD promptly.
Implement security best practices to mitigate the risk of data leakage.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and update systems to ensure ongoing protection against potential vulnerabilities.
Conduct security assessments to identify and address any security gaps.

Patching and Updates

Regularly check for and install security patches and updates released by AMD to address this vulnerability.