Intel's Software Guard Extensions broken? Don't panic Today's news that Intel's Software Guard Extensions (SGX) security system is open to abuse may be overstated. The issue, highlighted by Positive Technologies Russian researcher Mark Ermolov, would give an attacker full access to SGX's secure enclaves thanks to a coding slip-up. It looks like supposedly secure data could be …
I completely fail to understand why Intel processors are still so popular, given comparable or more capable x64 processors from AMD, 64-bit processors from ARM, many specialized ones which are specifically tasked for datacenter workloads, and the upcoming and ever-improving RISC-V tech.
Intel needs to seriously rethink their strategy; they don't matter nearly as much as they used to when it comes right down to it.
I would imagine a lot of it came down the the old adage: "You will never be fired for buying X"
X here being Intel. They were, were but not currently, seen as the safe bet. They would do what they say they will and not need attention and if they did it was a painless swap.
In the building world it would similar to paying way over the odds for DeWalt or Hilti. Sure there's cheaper just as capable stuff available, but its the support network and assumed ease of warranty that you pay for. You *could* save a lot buying a pile of Aldi grinders or drills, but when they break the support won't be there the same as it would if you just spent more on the big name.
> In the building world it would similar to paying way over the odds for DeWalt or Hilti
Or buying blue Hilti equipment and swapping the blue badge and selling it as the more expensive red equipment. As referred to me by a traveling gentleman.
-- ref: Cause I can't reply in the thread.
Zibob: ‘I would imagine a lot of it came down the the old adage: "You will never be fired for buying X"
X here being Intel. They were, were but not currently, seen as the safe bet. They would do what they say they will and not need attention and if they did it was a painless swap.
In the building world it would similar to paying way over the odds for DeWalt or Hilti. Sure there's cheaper just as capable stuff available, but its the support network and assumed ease of warranty that you pay for. You *could* save a lot buying a pile of Aldi grinders or drills, but when they break the support won't be there the same as it would if you just spent more on the big name.’
For one, I'm pretty sure AMD lacks capacity to produce enough chips to take over a large swath of the market in a short period(few years) time. Intel has been rethinking their strategy and seems to be going back to their roots which would probably be a good thing after messing up in the past decade or so. AMD likewise messed up for several years(at least ~2013 till ~2019 ?) and only recently got back into things at least on the server side.
For intel's sake I hope they stay the course (despite near term losses) to fix their stuff rather than get cold feet and go back to trying to pump the stock price on short term stuff only.
ARM and RISC-V will likely remain very niche on the server end for a few years at least yet. The ones most likely to benefit from it are the vertically integrated cloud companies designing their own chips. Intel/AMD may very well end up with a very competitive solution both cost/power/performance vs ARM/RISC-V for other situations. Especially when at least the ARM server chips pack tons of cores and use tons of power. Companies messed around with the micro server concept (even AMD bought Seamicro) but came to the conclusion more powerful chips with more cores are better than tons of small powered chips. Those that are making their own chips will have lower costs due to fewer players in their supply chain.
Too much stuff is built on x86. The seeming lack of standard interfaces that x86 has on ARM (and I assume RISC-V has the same issues) will continue to cause complexities with deployment (this is quite an issue in the mobile space).
I'm not sure how much SGX was used for other than that. The rights restriction systems in commercial Bluray player software uses SGX to lock down 4K playback apparently. So you upgrade to 11th gen or newer CPU and you'll just have to use unofficial software and rip your blurays to play them.
gcc supports it but it sure looked complicated to use, like you have to install 20 to 30 Intel supplied packages to have the SDK and tooling they used to make using SGX in your application work.
The Register 
Biting the hand that feeds IT
Copyright. All rights reserved © 1998–2025
