Intel Confirms Design Flaw in Pentium Chip

Intel Corp. said it found a design flaw in its Pentium computer chip that could be exploited by malicious programmers to crash personal computers and network servers. Intel spokesman Tom Waldrop said Intel expects to fix the flaw--first reported Friday afternoon on the online technology publication CNet--within a week. The flaw occurs in the Pentium and Pentium with MMX microprocessors, two of the most common chips found in personal computers worldwide, the Santa Clara-based company said. PC users would not encounter the flaw in everyday use, Intel said. A programmer would have to intentionally issue a specific command to freeze the computer’s operation. Intel’s stock fell $2.31 to close at $75.13 on Nasdaq.