When one cyberattack is stopped, another more powerful variant almost always takes its place. It happens all the time with ransomware, computer viruses, and Trojan horses. Recently, this has become the case with Spectre attacks, which exploit a fundamental flaw in modern computer chips.

It’s been three weeks since one of the worst IT security vulnerabilities in history was announced, and consumers are still receiving mixed messages about how to protect themselves. We usually encourage users to install software updates as often as possible, but when it comes to Meltdown and Spectre, that advice comes with an asterisk.

The Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Edge, and Firefox browsers may not be as safe as you think. Security researchers recently discovered that computer chips manufactured in the past two decades contain major security vulnerabilities. One can be used by hackers to gain access to sensitive data.