Apple M-series chip security vulnerability threatens Mac users’ cryptocurrency private keys

BitcoinNews.com reported on the 24th that serious security vulnerabilities were discovered in Apple’s M-series chips, raising concerns about the safety of cryptocurrency private keys stored on Mac computers.

According to BitcoinNews.com, the flaw is inherently linked to the “microarchitectural design of the chip itself” and therefore cannot be patched (fixed through data updates).

Mitigating the issue requires the use of third-party encryption software, but this could severely impact the performance of early M-series chips, including the M1 and M2.

Researchers have discovered fundamental weaknesses in Apple’s hardware security infrastructure. Hackers can intercept memory access patterns and use them to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information, including encryption keys used by encryption applications.

The researchers named this type of attack the “GoFetch” vulnerability, which operates seamlessly within the user’s environment and requires standard user permissions like a regular application.

While some users believe Apple will fix the problem directly within the operating system, others have expressed greater concerns about what happens if the company fails to do so.