Apple plans to set right ‘Spectre’ flaw

Browser makers Google, Microsoft Corp and Mozilla Corp’s Firefox all confirmed that the patches they currently have in place do not protect iOS users. With Safari and virtually all other popular browsers not patched, hundreds of millions of iPhone and iPad users may have no secure means of browsing the web until Apple issues its patch.

Apple stressed that there were no known instances of hackers taking advantage of the flaw to date. On Wednesday, Alphabet Inc’s Google and other security researchers disclosed two major chip flaws, one called Meltdown affecting only Intel Corp chips and one called Spectre affecting nearly all computer chips made in the last decade. The news sparked a sell-off in Intel’s stock as investors tried to gauge the costs to the chipmaker. In a statement on its website, Apple said all Mac and iOS devices were affected by both Meltdown and Spectre.