Intel CPU flaws and no more Oracle on AWS (maybe) – Here’s the least you need to know about cloud for the week.

Security

• Intel CPU flaw causes kernel memory leak vulnerability in virtually all processors from last 20yrs (link)
• Vulnerabilities nicknamed Meltdown and Spectre, explained (link)
• Intel says vulnerability may affect all chips, not just their own (link) (link)
• Anti-virus software can be creatively used for spying (link)
• Dept of Homeland Security data breach affects 250K staffers, investigation subjects and witnesses (link)
• Over 1B people in India exposed by biometric data breach discovered by newspaper sting (link)
• Indian government denies (link)
• Forever21 issues press release (link) detailing data breach initially announced in Nov ‘17 (link)

Google

• Announces “preemptible” GPUs at steep discount (link)
• Claims Intel chip vulnerability fix will have little effect on performance of cloud infrastructure (link)
• SolidRun announces support for Google Cloud IoT Core (link)

Microsoft

• Acquiring Avere Systems, could add high performance appliances and hybrid cloud NAS to Azure (link)
• Stream video streaming service features may provide competitive edge to YouTube (link)

Amazon

• Reportedly working to move away from Oracle database entirely (link)
• May be expanding into Saudi Arabia (link)
• Has successful year in 2017 with unusual and unexpected activities (link)

More

• AT&T expected to release 5G wireless network in 2018 (link)
• HP’s new “zero client” offers improved security and integrations for VDI on AWS or VMware (link)
• Cloud now $180B market, expanded by 24% in 2017 (link)