Ubuntu disables Intel GPU security mitigations, promises 20% performance boost

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arstechnica.com/security/2025/06/ubuntu-disable…

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One thing Ubuntu users should know is that the change will only provide performance boosts when GPUs are handling workloads running the OpenCL framework or the OneAPI Level Zerointerface. That likely means that people using games and similar apps will see no benefit.

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This is fine for single user systems. If your system allows more than 1 users, this is probably not something you want to do.

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The point is the Linux Kernel is covering the same security mitigations which make the CPU level ones redundant. If all users are using the Linux Kernel, why would it be an issue?

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Depends on how you use your system if you have multiple users. CPU mitigations wont protect GPU workloads, and vice versa. If your CPU was mitigating GPU workloads, that would probably be a massive performance loss.

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Deleted by moderator

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Forgive me. Just trying to understand. How does the kernel flag NEO_DISABLE_MITIGATIONS have any affect on the CPU? Seems to be targeted towards OpenCL and Level Zero, which are APIs to access GPU hardware directly.

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Or if you run untrusted code. Including code that might be susceptible to a compromised developer or a supply chain attack.

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I read in another comment about this that the safeguards in the kernel would still remain. The hardware just wouldn't do it by itself.

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The kernel mitigations would be for the CPU, not the GPU.

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Why is Ubuntu actually dying now?

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Think of all that money that they could have saved by even looking for those security issues once reported.

Fuck you Ubuntu people, typical crap corporate move.
Is it even not opt-in?

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