Intel bug: Fixing huge security flaw could lead computers to slow down drastically

Machines could slow down by as much as 30 per cent

A huge security bug could cause computers around the world to slow down, experts have warned.

A flaw in the chips that power computers means that nearly every computer made in the last 20 year could be vulnerable to attack. That includes phones and servers, as well as the computers on your desk.

The bug has been largely patched up on most systems, though some computers and phones still remain vulnerable and could for weeks. But even when a computer is patched it might still be at risk of major problems.

Fixing the problem means changing the way that the chips works. When that happens, they might run more slowly – potentially bringing performance reductions of up to 30 per cent, according to experts.

There won't necessarily be any warning that the slowdown has happened, and since some updates have already rolled out it might have already taken place with some users not noticing.

Intel – the company that is thought to be most affected by the attack – claimed that reports of the slowdown would not be "significant" and that they would clear up somewhat over time. But it did admit that the workarounds to fix the exploits will mean slowing down computers.

"Intel has begun providing software and firmware updates to mitigate these exploits," it said. "Contrary to some reports, any performance impacts are workload-dependent, and, for the average computer user, should not be significant and will be mitigated over time."

Because of the way the changes work, it's unlikely that normal people's computers will see any major difference or slowdown in the way they work. But at the level of companies, the difference could be significant, meaning that many of the world's biggest internet companies could be forced to acquire more computing power to keep their systems going at a normal level.