// #cpu-vulnerability
3 articles
AMD Zen 2 CVE-2026-46174: Operation Cache Microarchitecture Flaw Enables Kernel Privilege Escalation
AMD published Security Bulletin AMD-SB-7052 on 28 May for CVE-2026-46174, a microarchitectural flaw in Zen 2 processor operation caches. A local attacker can exploit timing characteristics of the op-cache to execute code with kernel privileges from a userspace context. PI firmware updates are required; the Xen Project also issued XSA-490 for virtualisation platform impacts.
Hardware Vulnerability Assessment: Methodology for CPU Microarchitecture and Firmware Security Evaluation
AMD CVE-2026-46174 and the broader class of CPU microarchitecture vulnerabilities require assessment methodology distinct from software vulnerability scanning. This guide covers the scoping, testing, and remediation verification steps for enterprise hardware security assessments covering processor vulnerabilities.
AMD Discloses Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability in Zen 2 Micro-Op Cache — Microcode and Firmware Updates Required
AMD has disclosed an elevation-of-privilege vulnerability in the micro-op cache of Zen 2 processors, where a low-privileged process can exploit speculative execution behaviour to access privileged memory content. Full remediation requires microcode updates delivered via OEM BIOS firmware. Zen 3 and later generations are not affected. Dell PowerEdge EPYC Rome servers and AMD EPYC Rome cloud instances require priority attention.