Ask HN: Why are Intel processors more vulnerable than AMD?

Is AMD better at security than Intel?([1]), ([2]). Why are there less security vulnerabilities in AMD?

[1]: https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/10/new-flaw-in-intel-chips-lets-attackers-slip-their-own-data-into-secure-enclave/

[2]: https://googleprojectzero.blogspot.com/2018/01/reading-privileged-memory-with-side.html

2 comments

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One possibility is that AMD sales were really low until they came out with Threadripper. Security researchers just didn't put the time into a CPU that's not very common.

There are similar AMD vulnerabilities coming out now:

https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/amd-take-a-way-secur...

wmf 6y ago ↗

Intel checks permissions after performing a memory access (which allows the side effects of that access to be visible) but AMD checks before.

Also AMD doesn't have SGX so they can't have SGX vulnerabilities.