Meltdown
Meltdown is a computer security vulnerability that affects a lot of computer processors. It allows attackers to get access to the secrets stored in the computer’s memory, like passwords or other confidential information. It happens because of a design flaw in the processors, where the memory and processor are not correctly isolated from each other.
In simpler terms, think about a secret diary that someone writes in every day. The diary is locked to keep it private, but anyone with the key to the lock can open it and read its contents. Meltdown is like having a magic key that can open any diary lock, allowing people to read the secrets inside.
To protect against Meltdown, computer users and developers must install specific security updates and patches to their systems. This ensures that the security flaw is fixed and that attackers cannot use it to access confidential information.