My limited understanding is that the vulnerability is due to kernel memory protections not being applied during speculative execution, when the CPU is trying to

My limited understanding is that the vulnerability is due to kernel memory protections not being applied during speculative execution, when the CPU is trying to second guess what the next instructions might be. Unless you are in PR, any reasonable person would expect a CPU touted as having kernel memory protection to protect it under all circumstances. I'm sure that the people who wrote the speculative execution code would have included that protection had they thought of it, and all developers would class it's omission as a bug. So yes, this is yet another example of awful PR, trying to cover up a serious mistake with careful language that makes it seem not their fault. My policy when I make a mistake is immediate disclosure, along with two commitments: to put the mistake right, and to amend processes to prevent similar mistakes in the future. It isn't clear how Intel can put this right, but perhaps a good discount on replacement parts might help. And they can certainly implement processes to catch such omissions in the future. So this press release (particularly combined with reports of execs selling stock) are appalling. Intel have badly damaged their brand, and I'll never buy another Intel processor again.