| > If I'm understanding correctly, this allows us to view (previously obfuscated) code that runs on certain (recent-ish) Intel processors? Yes, but this "code" is the Intel microcode. In a modern processor, instructions are translated in a sequence of micro-operations (uOps) before execution; These uOps are small instructions that the processor can execute with more ease.
Ultimately, this allows to build more performant processors. But some instructions require translation into a uOps sequence that is too complex to be handled like other instructions.
Modern processors therefore feature a "microcode sequencer", and the "microcode" is the configuration of this component. And this work allows us to interpret a previously misunderstood part of the microcode. > What are the consequences of this? There are no real direct consequences for users. But this helps to better understand how modern Intel processors work; Especially security researchers will be able to better understand how some security instruction works (mainly the SGX extension). In the long term, they may find Intel errors (as has already happened previously) which will be fixed in next Intel processor generation. Although security issues may be detected in Intel processors, this will probably have no impact for normal users, but it could affect some companies. |