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Intel facing three lawsuits over chip security flaw

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Intel is facing three separate class-action lawsuits over the massive chip security flaw that was discovered this week, the Guardian reports.

Why it matters: The vulnerabilities, called Meltdown and Spectre, are found in most processors today. Axios' Ina Fried reported earlier this week that class-action lawsuits were a possibility, and the Guardian reports this is "just one cost Intel will face." The three lawsuits cite security vulnerability, Intel's delayed announcement to the public, and the possibility of a computer slowdown that could be a side-effect of fixing the problem (which Intel denies), according to the Guardian.

  • Intel confirmed the class actions, but said "it would be inappropriate to comment" as the "proceedings are ongoing," per the Guardian.
  • One of the lawyers representing a plaintiff that filed a class-action lawsuit, Bill Doyle, told the Guardian: "The security vulnerability revealed by these reports suggests that this may be one of the largest security flaws ever facing the American public...It is imperative that Intel act swiftly to fix the problem and ensure consumers are fully compensated for all losses suffered as a result of their actions."