Major flaw in millions of Intel chips -- (Spectre & Meltdown)

[Corrine]

Intel Security Issue Update: Addressing Reboot Issues

We have received reports from a few customers of higher system reboots after applying firmware updates. Specifically, these systems are running Intel Broadwell and Haswell CPUs for both client and data center. We are working quickly with these customers to understand, diagnose and address this reboot issue. If this requires a revised firmware update from Intel, we will distribute that update through the normal channels.  We are also working directly with data center customers to discuss the issue.

End-users should continue to apply updates recommended by their system and operating system providers.

[satrow]

Is that longhand for: "We're trying to fix broken corporate computers so End-users please continue to test the buggy patches for us."?

[Corrine]

List of Links: BIOS Updates for the Meltdown and Spectre Patches:

As Intel, AMD, and other CPU manufacturers have started releasing CPU microcode (firmware) updates for processor models affected by the Meltdown and Spectre patches, those updates are trickling down to OEMs and motherboard vendors, who are now integrating these patches into BIOS/UEFI updates for affected PCs.

While not all vendors have patches available for vulnerable products right away, most have promised updates in the following months.

Bleeping Computer will be updating the list as more information becomes available.

[winchester73]

Lenovo pulled SOME --- but not ALL --- of their recently released BIOS updates.   Apparently your T440s update was "safe", and not pulled.   So you indeed have the newest, safe BIOS update which protects you from Spectre.

... and now it's been withdrawn: https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/solutions/len-18282

I wonder if it is worth trying to roll back the BIOS to 2.44.1.13, the 'new' update is targeted for the end of March.  I may lose my sanity by then if the BSODs continue another two months  :(

[winchester73]

UNCLE   :o

Just got a BSOD: SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION fltmgr.sys

Went into the BIOS setup menu, disabled Secure Rollback Prevention, downgraded to 2.44 ... hopefully that will stop the madness.


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Edit:  Even though 2.46 was pulled, System Update just now shows it as a critical update

NO, I'm not going to run it and see if it actually installs   ;)

[winchester73]

Someone brighter than me will have to explain why this system is 'protected' even though I downgraded the BIOS:

[Corrine]

Included in CPU vulnerabilities exploited by Meltdown and Spectre and updated as additional information becomes available are 210 vendor security advisories; computer emergency, incident, and security response team reports issued from around the world and more  by Aryeh Goretsky.

[plodr]

FINALLY, a small, no install tool I can run from Steve Gibson.
https://www.grc.com/inspectre.htm

[ky331]

For what it's worth, McAfee Endpoint Security (at work) is intercepting Steve Gibson's InSpecture, alleging it is Trojan Artemis... so I can't test it here.

(I take for granted this is a false-positive.)

[Corrine]

Strange.  Windows Defender Smart Screen labeled it as unsafe on my desktop but not on my laptop.

Edit note:  Need more coffee.  I was using Microsoft Edge on the desktop.  No problem with Pale Moon.

[winchester73]

No problem with Firefox, saved to desktop and ran it from there.

[ky331]

Not surprised about SmartScreen (in IE/Edge)... it's notorious for intercepting new/"unknown" programs.

[Corrine]

So, my question is this:  Since I have two very, very old Intel processors that HP is not likely to provide updates for but both devices are NOT vulnerable to Meltdown but are vulnerable to Spectre, why would I want to disable Meltdown protection via Gibson's tool?  Sure, improved performance (although not much for these old devices) but at the cost of security?   

[MikeW]

So, my question is this:  Since I have two very, very old Intel processors that HP is not likely to provide updates for but both devices are NOT vulnerable to Meltdown but are vulnerable to Spectre, why would I want to disable Meltdown protection via Gibson's tool?  Sure, improved performance (although not much for these old devices) but at the cost of security?   

I got a similar report, saying performance was impacted and I should disable protection.  I have not seen any performance degradation. Will leave it as is. With a question mark over this tools worth.

[Pete!]

I didn't get the impression that I was being told to disable protection, but that I was being given the option.

For instance, a high end gamer might be willing to take a chance to get back some speed  that I didn't even notice was lost.