Newsletter Archives

• Microsoft “helps” Intel by releasing KB 4090007, a Spectre 2 microcode update for Win10 1709, Skylake processors only

  Posted on March 1, 2018 at 13:38 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  UPDATE: Correcting myself (thanks to the anonymous poster) — this is a microcode update, which is kind of a transient firmware override, for lack of a better description. There’s a more thorough description on the Debian wiki, “Processor microcode is akin to processor firmware. The kernel is able to update the processor’s firmware without the need to update it via a BIOS update. A microcode update is kept in volatile memory, thus the BIOS/UEFI or kernel updates the microcode during every boot.”

  I can’t recall ever seeing Microsoft issue a firmware update (other than a Surface firmware update) as a security patch. This one comes with its own KB, no less.

  The announcement is very specific. KB 4090007 only deals with the Spectre Variant 2 / CVE 2017-5715 (“Branch Target Injection”) mitigation, and only on 6th generation Skylake H/S, U/Y and U23e processors. It’s only for Win10 1709. It’s not a cumulative update.

  And — importantly — it’s an Intel microcode update. Not a Windows patch.

  Says Microsoft:

  We will offer additional microcode updates from Intel as they become available to Microsoft. We will continue to work with chipset and device makers as they offer more vulnerability mitigations.

  which is a noble goal, at least to my way of thinking.

  You won’t get the patch via Automatic Update. If you really, really want to test it on your Win10 1709 / Skylake machine, you can download it from the Microsoft Update Catalog and manually install.

  Spectre v2 is a vulnerability in just about everything — Intel, AMD, ARM. As I’m fond of repeating, neither Meltdown nor Spectre (either variant) has been found in the wild.

  As you might imagine, I’m highly skeptical. I mean… what could possibly go wrong?

  Windows Patches/Security KB 4090007, Skylake, Spectre v2, Win10 1709

• A crisis looms for Win7 and 8.1 customers with recently-built computers

  Posted on March 23, 2017 at 11:09 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  When the April Monthly Rollup for Win7 and 8.1 appears, a whole lot of people are going to wonder what hit them.

  Article in InfoWorld Woody on Windows.

  Windows Patches/Security April 2017 Black Tuesday, Bristol Ridge, Kaby Lake, Skylake, update-kneecap

• MS just backed down from their earlier, much-maligned Skylake/Win7 patching position

  Posted on August 11, 2016 at 13:37 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Apparently reversing a (stupid) announcement made in January, Microsoft now has an “update” to its silicon support policy for Windows.

  Enterprise customers are moving to Windows 10 faster than any version of Windows. At the same time, we recognize that, in some instances, customers have a few systems that require longer deployment timeframes. We listened to this feedback and today are sharing an update to our 6th Gen Intel Core (Skylake) support policy.* We have extended the support period from July 17, 2018 to the end of support dates for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1; and we will provide all applicable security updates.

  Feedback? I dunno. Just about every major Windows hardware manufacturer has already disavowed the policy.

  Tip o’ the hat to Mary Jo Foley at ZDNet.

  Windows News Skylake

• Windows 7 and 8.1 will be supported on Skylake processors until July, 2018

  Posted on March 18, 2016 at 14:25 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Microsoft just extended its deadline for compatibility and reliability fixes for Win7 and 8.1 running on the newest Intel processors (6th-generation “Skylake”) until July 17, 2018.

  More importantly, all security patches will be available until Win7 and Win8.1 end of life: Jan 14, 2020 for Win7 and Jan 10, 2023 for Win 8.1.

  Source: Microsoft

  For normal Windows 7 and 8.1 users, that’s a good deal. It means that you can buy a fast, new Intel-based computer and trust Microsoft to keep providing updates for it until mid-2018. Wouldn’t surprise me a bit if Microsoft extended that, too.

  The key is the security patches. Basically, you can buy a new computer, slap Win7 on it and, if you can get the drivers to work, you don’t have to worry about it going obsolete until it’s… well, until it’s obsolete.

  Who knows what’ll happen by 2020.

  More details here.

  Windows News Skylake

• The Win7/Skylake controversy

  Posted on January 22, 2016 at 13:59 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Would somebody please explain to me how Microsoft can retroactively chop off extended support for Windows 7?

  Oh. The “support list” has just been published.

  InfoWorld Woody on Windows

  Windows News Skylake, Windows 7 extended support

• Surfacegate

  Posted on January 22, 2016 at 10:45 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  If you have a Surface Book, Surface Pro 4, or any Windows 10 machine with a Skylake processor, you need to read this from Paul Thurrott.

  Other Skylake, Surface Book, Surface Pro 4, Windows 10