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Intel bug incoming? Meltdown and Spectre exploits

Armadillo said:
So only just noticed that Gigabyte have the x99 fixes (dated the 11th), so been there for a while.

My board
https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-X99-SLI-rev-10#support-dl

F24a 6.66 MB 2018/01/11 1. Update CPU Microcode

Judging by the date, I assume it's the bugged code that was causing reboots? that Intel are fixing, so I should wait? Or was haswell-e safe from that?
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No, I don't think Haswell-E is exempt from the reboot problem, so I'm holding off until I'm sure the issue is fixed. The last I heard is that Intel have identified the root cause of the reboot issue, but I don't think they've released new microcode with the fix yet.
 
so I'm old and confused the crap out of by all these updates lol

the GRC program says I'm not patched,the GB program says I am.
I updated to latest bios so is it just windows now what needs patching as I though I did that yesterday but the spectre program is saying its windows that needs patching?

UZATcxe.jpg.png
 
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You are confusing two or three issues. The left hand image is talking about the fix for the (latest) Intel Management Engine vulnerability that was revealed late last year. That application is claiming you already have the patch for that (which makes sense if you've updated your BIOS). The right hand images are regarding Meltdown and Spectre, which are CPU vulnerabilities brought to light a couple of weeks ago. To completely resolve Meltdown you'd need an OS patch (which it looks like you have). To mitigate against Spectre attacks, you'll need CPU microcode update (which would be included in yet another BIOS update), plus a bunch of other OS and software patches that will probably take a while to roll out (e.g. Firefox, Chrome, and nVidia's driver package have received them already).
 
yea that's where I'm confuddled as I believe the f22d bios which was released 2 weeks ago is supposed to patch against spectre.
the red writing is saying its windows that needs patching? (which I thought I had).
 
If it was released two weeks ago it almost certainly has no Spectre patch included. The red text seems pretty clear to me: you have OS patches for Meltdown but not Spectre. There is not a one-shot solution to Spectre.
 
see that's where I'm reading things wrong then?

the green writing is saying my hardware is patched (bios??) but your saying its not?

sorry for the questions but I'm rubbish when it comes to software lol
 
I know this might sound silly - but I assume the bugs are really only important if you are connected to the internet,right?

So,I assume if you are playing off-line games and disconnected your network connection,it would be useful if you could toggle both patches off,like that InSpectre tool does.
 
CAT-THE-FIFTH said:
. . .
I assume the bugs are really only important if you are connected to the internet,right?
. . .
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As I understand it, the significance of the bug is that it might be possible for a piece of malign code to access passwords, bank details, etc.
However, if the system is not connected to the Internet, I don't really see how it could do anything with this information.
I suppose that the malign code could store the details, wait for you to connect to the Internet later and then "forward" them to a third party.
 
CAT-THE-FIFTH said:
I know this might sound silly - but I assume the bugs are really only important if you are connected to the internet,right?

So,I assume if you are playing off-line games and disconnected your network connection,it would be useful if you could toggle both patches off,like that InSpectre tool does.
Click to expand...

Yeh but normal rules apply.. use an ad blocker, no script, set your browser to delete all cookies, history etc on exit, be sensible with unknown emails, don't go to dodgy sites, use 2 step authentication for email and bank, don't have loads of tabs open if your logged into anything, shut the browser down and reopen. etc. ..

You'll be reasonably safe.
 
As far as I know Windows Update is still updating, but I haven't received a cumulative update this month. :confused: I'm tempted to download and install it myself.

I'm also on the latest version of my BIOS and IMEI, so it can only be due to the lack of Windows Updates that I am getting the below:
nnl3tf.jpg
 
Q4Bo3oz.png

I guess any pre-Haswell CPU gets marked as "Performance: Slower" after the Meltdown patch?

Haven't noticed any slowdown but then all the games I play are GPU-bound (when not using newer drivers) and I doubt I'd notice much difference in things like browsing and programming.
 
Intel hires a crisis management firm,WTF:

https://translate.google.co.uk/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=https://www.computerbase.de/2018-01/sard-verbinnen-intel-spectre-meltdown/&edit-text=

Intel has hired a crisis communications firm Sard Verbinnen to handle the Spectre/Meltdown fallout. I just got an email from them. Intel's dealt with a lot of s*** in the past, but first time I've seen them hire a crisis communications firm. #intelbug #inte l
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Intel postpones product launches
Internally, the problems of recent weeks at Intel have already caused the shifts of new products. New CPUs and motherboards now without the right patches to publish, would probably only pour oil into the fire, so the upcoming launches are once exposed. Of these, in addition to the new NUCs with Gemini Lake and Kaby Lake-G probably also affected Coffee Lake , whose second wave of CPUs and motherboards is already in the starting blocks. For CES 2018 , these were already behind closed doors to see whether the known date of late Q1 or April can be held, but now remains questionable.
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