[palmer]

I don't think Linux users will be any better off since they can run a malicious executable too. I didn't mean to imply only windows by insisting on EXE. That was shorthand for any executable like an ELF on Linux.

I was trying to distinguish those from javascript, java, python, flash, ruby, or other scripted or interpreted languages that cannot run arbitrary (and very rarely used) instructions. Those instructions are generally needed (but not 100% of the time) to run these types of sides channel attacks. Also the timing of the instructions can be important and the scripted languages don't give a lot of control over timing.

[Bob434]

Thanks for clearing that up- do you think there would be many ELF executables written whereas linux isn’t as popular an os? I can patch my windows system, but not sure if linux will have a patch as well? Or is it just dependent on patchign the intel stuff and linux will then be protected somewhat too?