New Apple Chip Vulnerabilities Discovered by Researchers

Security researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology and Ruhr University Bochum have discovered two significant vulnerabilities, dubbed FLOP (False Load Output Prediction) and SLAP (Speculative Load Address Prediction), in Apple's A- and M-series chips. These flaws exploit speculative execution, a performance feature that predicts future instructions to speed up processing, allowing hackers to access sensitive user data such as emails, credit card details, and location history from web browsers like Chrome and Safari. The vulnerabilities affect devices powered by A15, M2, and newer chips, enabling remote attacks without physical access. While no real-world exploitation has been reported yet, researchers have informed Apple, which plans to address these issues. Despite Apple's assurances that the vulnerabilities pose no immediate risk, the flaws remain concerning due to their potential impact on user privacy and data security.