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Category Archives: retpoline

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

Adventures With Linux ™ Posted on September 20, 2019 by RGSeptember 20, 2019

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 →

Posted in compilation, kernel, Linux, Opinion, retpoline, VMware | Tagged compiles with kernel 5.3.0, released, vmware 15.5.0 | 2 Replies

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

Adventures With Linux ™ Posted on April 30, 2018 by RGMay 2, 2018

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 →

Posted in Linux, patches, retpoline, VMware | Tagged assembler code, fix available, kernel, linux, meltdown, spectre, still vulnerable, vmmon, vmware | Leave a reply

Kernel – GCC and ‘Retpoline’..

Adventures With Linux ™ Posted on February 1, 2018 by RGFebruary 1, 2018

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 →

Posted in compilation, gcc, Intel, kernel, Linux, Performance, retpoline | Tagged 7.3.1, backport, gcc, kernel, linux, mitigation, retpoline, spectre2 | Leave a reply
Original content © Robert Gadsdon 2013
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