Spectre Download the New for Android - Will We See Updates in R17?

The recent discoveries of the Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities have sent shockwaves throughout the tech industry, with many developers scrambling to find ways to mitigate these potential security threats. In this article, we'll be exploring whether changes will be made available for NDK r17 or if we'll have to wait for NDK r18.

One question on everyone's mind is whether Google will backport support for LLVM 7 and GCC 8 compiler flags from the Linux kernel to the NDK shipping compilers. With NDK r17 beta reportedly around the corner, it seems unlikely that this update will be delayed until r18. However, it's unclear if these changes will also affect mobile versions of Android.

For those unfamiliar, compiler flags are used in compiling the kernel and its modules on Linux systems. The recent 5th January security update for Android included a patch to the kernel using GCC or LLVM compilers with support for specific flags, including -mindirect-branch options with LLVM opting for -mretpoline and -mretpoline-external-thunk.

As developers, we're eager to know if we can pass recommended compiler flags when compiling native Android x86 or ARM64 apps. After all, OS-level mitigation may not be enough, as even browsers have implemented changes to mitigate potential attacks.

In this regard, it's surprising that there hasn't been more discussion from the Android community regarding these updates. The LLVM switches are slightly different from GCC's -mindirect-branch options, with LLVM opting for -mretpoline and -mretpoline-external-thunk if a custom thunk is desired.

The good news is that major compilers such as GCC, LLVM, and even Visual Studio C++ compiler have made updates to address the Spectre/Meltdown attacks. We can only hope that Google's NDK team will follow suit and make these changes available in NDK r17 or at least provide a clear roadmap for when we can expect these updates.

In conclusion, while there is no official word on whether changes will be made available in NDK r17, it seems likely that we'll see some form of update soon. As developers, it's essential to stay informed about the latest developments and best practices for mitigating Spectre and Meltdown attacks in Android apps.

Spectre download the new for android