This was just to expose the gadget easier, there are other gadgets in kernel that you can abuse too.
The full fix will require a complete recompile of the full kernel/toolchain, if they can do any kind of microcode update (I have not checked) that allows for mitigation.
> - Ability to install a custom kext to make the PACMAN Gadget work. The exploit requires access to undocumented registers on the M1 that are apparently not accessible from user space, but this is a bit unclear.
^ This is not the case, you can trigger these from userspace in valid syscalls. The same behaviour was in spectre.
> I am having trouble getting a read on their intention with the aesthetics here.
HN users is not the target audience. It is not intended to be dissected and pulled apart for analysis and profit. Sometimes things are because they were.