How to check Linux for Spectre and Meltdown vulnerability

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To check if a Linux system is vulnerable to Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities, you can use various tools and techniques.

  1. Using the in-kernel command line tool: Use the following command to check if the system is vulnerable:
    grep -Ew ^flags /proc/cpuinfo | grep -Eqw "spectre_v2|l1tf"

    If the command returns “0”, then the system is vulnerable to Spectre and Meltdown.

  2. Using the Spectre-Meltdown Checker: Spectre-Meltdown Checker is a tool to check for Spectre, Meltdown, Foreshadow, and all related vulnerabilities. You can install it using the following command on Ubuntu/Debian:
    sudo apt-get install spectre-meltdown-checker

    And on CentOS/RHEL:

    sudo yum install spectre-meltdown-checker

    After installation, run the following command to check if the system is vulnerable:

    spectre-meltdown-checker
  3. Using the sysfs interface: Check the following files to see if the system is vulnerable:
    /sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/meltdown
    /sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/spectre_v1
    /sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/spectre_v2

If the system is vulnerable to any of the Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities, it is recommended to install the latest security updates and patches provided by the operating system vendor.

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