CVE-2018-3646 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting systems with microprocessors that use speculative execution and address translations. Also known as L1 Terminal Fault (L1TF), this vulnerability may allow unauthorized disclosure of information residing in the L1 data cache to an attacker with local user access and guest OS privilege via a terminal page fault and a side-channel analysis. Various systems, including Intel Core and Xeon processors, Huawei products, VMware products, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux, are affected by this vulnerability.

How do I know if I'm affected?

If you're wondering whether you're affected by the vulnerability, also known as L1 Terminal Fault (L1TF), it's important to know that this issue impacts systems with microprocessors that use speculative execution and address translations. Affected systems include various versions of Intel's Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, Core m3, Core m5, Core m7, and Xeon processors. Unfortunately, specific Apple product versions are not mentioned in the available sources. To determine if your device is affected, you may need to check with the manufacturer or keep an eye out for updates and security advisories.

What should I do if I'm affected?

If you're affected by the vulnerability, it's crucial to take action to protect your data. First, check for updates from your device's manufacturer and install any available security patches. Next, disable Simultaneous Multi-Threading (SMT) or Hyper-Threading in your device's BIOS settings if possible. Finally, stay informed about new developments and follow any additional recommendations provided by your device's manufacturer or security experts.

Is this in CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog?

The CVE-2018-3646 vulnerability, also known as L1 Terminal Fault (L1TF), is not listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog. This medium-severity vulnerability affects systems with microprocessors that use speculative execution and address translations, potentially allowing unauthorized disclosure of information.

Weakness enumeration

The Weakness Enumeration indicates insufficient information and is categorized as NVD-CWE-noinfo. There is insufficient data available to comprehensively comprehend the nature and potential impact of this vulnerability.

For more details

CVE-2018-3646, also known as L1 Terminal Fault (L1TF), is a medium-severity vulnerability that affects systems with microprocessors utilizing speculative execution and address translations. This issue may lead to unauthorized disclosure of information, potentially allowing attackers to access sensitive data. For a comprehensive understanding of the vulnerability, including its description, severity, technical details, and known affected software configurations, visit the NVD page or the links below.

• Huawei Security Advisory - CPU Side Channel Vulnerability "L1TF"

• VMware Security Advisory VMSA-2018-0020

• Xen Security Advisory XSA-273

• Red Hat Security Advisory RHSA-2018:2388