over fears that an attempt to fix it could slow down computers.

Intel has not provided details, but experts say the flaw, which affects processors developed

in the past decade, could make computers prone to hacking.

The discovery has triggered a massive and coordinated response by tech giants, such

as Microsoft and Apple, to issue critical patches.

Experts warn that these updates to operating systems, such as Windows, could slow computers

down by as much as 30 percent.

Intel's share prices were down almost six percent after the issue was revealed by technology

website The Register on Tuesday.

Rival chipmaker AMD saw its share price soar more than 10 percent.