All Apple Devices Vulnerable: The SLAP and FLOP Security Flaws Explained

The digital world was recently rocked by the discovery of two critical security flaws, dubbed SLAP (Speculative Leaking of Arbitrary Physical addresses) and FLOP (Floating Point Operations), affecting virtually all current Apple devices and many older models. These vulnerabilities, found by a team of researchers at the Graz University of Technology in Austria, exploit weaknesses in Apple’s silicon chips, potentially allowing attackers to steal sensitive data like passwords, banking information, and personal photos.

These vulnerabilities are particularly concerning because they exploit hardware-level weaknesses, making them difficult to patch with simple software updates. Essentially, SLAP and FLOP take advantage of how modern processors predict and execute instructions to gain unauthorized access to memory. This means that even the latest iPhones, iPads, and Macs running the most up-to-date software are susceptible. While Apple has released patches for some devices, the complexity of the flaws means that complete protection might be an ongoing process.

Understanding Speculative Execution and its Vulnerabilities

To understand SLAP and FLOP, it’s crucial first to grasp the concept of speculative execution. Modern processors, including those designed by Apple, use this technique to improve performance. They “guess” what instructions might be needed next and execute them in advance. If the guess is correct, the results are used, speeding up processing. If the guess is wrong, the results are discarded.

However, this “guessing” process can leave traces in the processor’s cache, a small, fast memory bank. SLAP and FLOP exploit these traces to access information that should be off-limits.

SLAP: Leaking Physical Addresses

SLAP specifically targets the memory management unit (MMU) within the processor. The MMU translates virtual memory addresses used by software into physical addresses in the device’s RAM. SLAP tricks the MMU into leaking these physical addresses during speculative execution. With these addresses, attackers can potentially map out the device’s memory and access sensitive data.

FLOP: Exploiting Floating-Point Operations

FLOP takes a different approach, focusing on the processor’s floating-point unit (FPU), responsible for handling decimal number calculations. FLOP exploits the FPU’s speculative execution to manipulate data and gain unauthorized access to memory regions.

The Impact of SLAP and FLOP

The implications of SLAP and FLOP are significant. These vulnerabilities could allow attackers to:

• Steal sensitive data: Passwords, credit card numbers, private messages, and other personal information could be at risk.
• Install malware: Attackers could inject malicious code into devices, compromising their functionality and stealing data.
• Take control of devices: In extreme cases, attackers might gain complete control of a device, using it for malicious purposes.

The researchers who discovered these flaws demonstrated their potential by successfully extracting an SSH key from a vulnerable iPhone. This key could then be used to access a user’s remote server and potentially gain control of other accounts.

Which Devices are Affected?

The researchers have confirmed that SLAP and FLOP affect a wide range of Apple devices with processors based on the ARM architecture, including:

• iPhones: iPhone 8 and later models
• iPads: iPad Pro models, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 5th generation and later, iPad mini 5th generation and later
• Macs: Macs with Apple silicon (M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max, M2, etc.)

Older devices with A-series chips might also be vulnerable, but this hasn’t been explicitly confirmed.

What Apple is Doing

Apple has acknowledged the vulnerabilities and has already released updates to mitigate SLAP and FLOP in some devices. However, due to the complexity of the flaws and the need to maintain performance, patching all affected devices is an ongoing process.

Apple’s approach includes:

• Software updates: iOS 15.7.1, iPadOS 15.7.1, macOS Monterey 12.6.1, and macOS Big Sur 11.7.1 include patches for some devices.
• Hardware changes: Future Apple chips may include hardware-level mitigations to prevent similar attacks.

What You Can Do to Protect Yourself

While Apple is working to address these vulnerabilities, users can take some steps to minimize their risk:

• Update your devices: Install the latest software updates from Apple as soon as they are available.
• Be cautious with downloads and links: Avoid downloading apps or clicking on links from untrusted sources.
• Use strong passwords and two-factor authentication: This adds an extra layer of security to your accounts.
• Keep an eye on Apple’s security updates: Stay informed about Apple’s efforts to address SLAP and FLOP and any new recommendations they provide.

The Future of Hardware Security

The discovery of SLAP and FLOP highlights the increasing complexity of hardware security and the challenges of protecting against sophisticated attacks. As processors become more complex, new vulnerabilities are likely to emerge.

This underscores the importance of ongoing research and collaboration between hardware manufacturers, security researchers, and software developers to identify and address these threats proactively. Users also need to remain vigilant, keeping their devices updated and practicing safe online habits.