Category Archives: retpoline

VMware – Version 15.5 is Out – Compiles with Kernel 5.3..

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VMware have released Workstation version 15.5.0, and the release notes can be found here:  https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Workstation-Pro/15.5/rn/VMware-Workstation-155-Pro-Release-Notes.html The real surprise is that this actually compiles ( although not very cleanly) with Kernel 5.3 (tested with 5.3.0, and GCC 9.2.1, on Fedora 30).. …………………. /tmp/modconfig-rtOtwQ/vmnet-only/vnetEvent.o: warning: objtool: If this is a retpoline, please patch it in with alternatives and annotate … Continue reading →

VMware – Patch, If You Need Better ‘Meltdown/Spectre’ Protection..

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Thanks – again – to Michal Kubeček, who  has pointed out that there is still a vulnerability in some VMware (vmmon) code, that is not mitigated by Kernel/Compiler retpoline fixes, as it is written in assembler..   ( See comment on previous article – http://rglinuxtech.com/?p=2277 ) He has provided an appropriate fix for this, at https://github.com/mkubecek/vmware-host-modules/tree/player-14.1.1 Robert Gadsdon.   … Continue reading →

Kernel – GCC and ‘Retpoline’..

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The recent summary of Kernel 4.15 mentioned the test for ‘compliant’ versions of GCC which fully support the retpoline mitigation, but only gave an example of non-compliance: With GCC 7.2: ~]$ cat /sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/spectre_v2  Vulnerable: Minimal generic ASM retpoline I re-created Fedora (Rawhide) GCC 7.3.1 for Fedora 27, and it gives the following, after Kernel 4.15 compilation/boot: ~]$ … Continue reading →