OpenBSD 6.4 Released - Disables SMT/HT By Default, Updates Radeon DRM

[phoronix]

Phoronix: OpenBSD 6.4 Released - Disables SMT/HT By Default, Updates Radeon DRM

Adding to the exciting release day is Theo de Raadt releasing OpenBSD 6.4 as the newest version of this BSD operating system known for its security mindfulness...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=OpenBSD-6.4-Released

[xpue]

Better stop messing around and disable any and all hardware by default, they can't prove it all invulnerable.

[microcode]

Better stop messing around and disable any and all hardware by default, they can't prove it all invulnerable.

The sarcasm here is unwarranted. In this case they can prove that speculation-based vulnerabilities are numerous, and a lot of users don't know that they're running third-party code which exposes them. They have proof positive of a vulnerability, it makes sense to disable the vulnerable functionality by default.

[r_o_k]

Downloading the install64.fs to put on a flash drive now. Now that they don't sell CDs anymore, I hope people will donate to the OpenBSD Foundation instead.
I love the (sometimes extreme) lenghts they take, in order to produce a more secure OS.

[Turbine]

Great, it can do even less than it already couldn't do.

[Templar82]

Great, it can do even less than it already couldn't do.

If the defaults inconvenience you then you can always turn it on.

[ThoreauHD]

And Theo raised his hand, laid it upon the crippled beggar, and lo and behold- witnessed by the multitude... he made the lame blind.

Theo be praised!

[Spazturtle]

Not sure what the criticism is about. TLBleed can only be fixed by disabling hyperthreading, and as OpenBSD values security it is only logical to disable hyperthreading.

[ynari]

Yeah.. It's well documented that hyperthreading has issues, and it's known for certain that people are looking for more exploits. Disabling hyperthreading may kill 20-30% performance in certain scenarios, but you can't argue with the logic.

When/if Intel secure their chips and hyperthreading becomes more robust, I'm sure OpenBSD will look at whitelisting.

[trek]

every day we learn how crappy are the intel products