That LVI CPU hole wasn't the only Intel fix: Dozens of flaws patched to stop chips turning into potatoes

Intel has posted a fresh crop of firmware updates for security flaws in its chipsets. The March fix bundle includes nine advisories covering processors, FPGAs, and other components, as well as the high-profile Meltdown-style LVI hole. Among the most expansive is the advisory for Intel graphics drivers. In total, 17 CVE-listed …

[Conundrum1885]

Re. Bugs

Augh!!!!!!

Just had to fix this one, for the Nth time, This is 3 major updates in as many weeks.

So far so good, but its only a matter of time before this antique meets its Nemesis.

Half expecting very soon a "Windows 10 is unable to update due to Incompatible Hardware" message.

[Captain Scarlet]

Re: Re. Bugs

My experience is it will try and update and fail part way through after several hours on incompatible hardware. Thankfully only one machine in the family had this issue.

[Michael Wojcik]

Re: Re. Bugs

Well, we wouldn't want it to make a hasty decision. Windows and the hardware should try counseling and perhaps a trial separation before deciding they're truly incompatible.

[ThatOne]

Mitigations, mitigations

Fortunately I still have a working 486 DX2 66 for processor-intensive workloads!...

Seriously, some of our computers need to do serious number crunching (already taking hours if not days on a totally unpatched system), how are we supposed to work if our CPUs get slower by the day? (Yes, yes, AMD. Unfortunately our budget doesn't allow for changing all our hardware on a whim. It barely allows for replacing dying mission-critical kit.)

[Jim Mitchell]

Re: Mitigations, mitigations

If it is your computer and not running software from people you don't trust, then it sounds like these classes of flaws should not worry you. Multi-tenant in the cloud on the same processor is a problem, as you have little control over what else is running. Code from websites you don't trust running your browser might as be an issue.

[Aitor 1]

Re: Mitigations, mitigations

That is an issue for many ppl.. they use a workstation to calculate stuff, but it is also their personal work pc.. so they have to patch it thnx to ads!

[Charles 9]

Re: Mitigations, mitigations

Isn't the term "Personal Work PC" an oxymoron? I mean, a personal computer should be one you own...personally, as in it's in your name and no one else's.

[ThatOne]

Re: Mitigations, mitigations

> it is also their personal work pc

Indeed. Not everybody has the budget to give people two separate computers, one for "serious work" and one for office/web use. Which means that only a few "serious work" computers can be isolated and left unpatched, most work computers need to be able to face the Wild Wild Web, and thus have to be slowed to oblivion (given they weren't that fast to start with).

Obviously YMMV, depending on which domain you work in, but generally speaking I doubt CPU security mitigations will cause beancounters to approve hardware renewal, especially since it would be to buy more of the same.

And once those mitigations are compiled into the programs you use, you are stuck no matter what processor you might eventually use. CPU check? You don't seriously think they'll go through that hassle if they can sell you a new, "updated" version instead... So, more money your already insufficient budget doesn't account for.

[Anonymous Coward]

So yet more patches rather than a recall/replacement scheme

What about "retired kit" still in use that it vulnerable to all these Intel "failures"?

When exactly will the UK government bodies responsible for consumer protection address this? one would almost think that the same bodies are protecting intel over the people who pay their wages or intel + friends pay them more not to.

I am sure someone will say these "design flaws" were no one's fault but the fact is the effected hardware has a problem when working in the environment for which it was "designed" ergo "unfit for purpose".