Microsoft has released a new Intel Microcode update for Windows 10 1909, 1903, and older versions that contains software fixes for hardware bugs in Intel CPUs.
Intel Microcode updates are optional updates that mitigate hardware-based security vulnerabilities and bugs through a software patch.
This allows Intel to fix, or at least mitigate, security flaws such as speculative execution vulnerabilities or bugs that are discovered after a CPU has been manufactured.
With yesterday's release, the following additional CPUs now receive mitigations for various security vulnerabilities and bugs.
- Denverton
- Sandy Bridge
- Sandy Bridge E, EP
- Valley View
- Whiskey Lake U
Intel Microcode updates are not installed via Windows Update and must be installed manually. Links to the Intel Microcode update for the supported versions of Windows can be found below:
- KB4497165: Intel microcode updates for Windows 1909 and 1903
- KB4494174: Intel microcode updates for Windows 10 1809
- KB4494451: Intel microcode updates for Windows 10 1803
- KB4494452: Intel microcode updates for Windows 1709
- KB4494453: Intel microcode updates for Windows 10 1703
- KB4494175: Intel microcode updates for Windows 1607
- KB4494454: Intel microcode updates for Windows 10
While we highly recommend that users install new Microcode updates, it should be noted that previous updates have caused performance issues on older CPUs or system hangs in the past due to how they mitigated vulnerabilities.
If you wish to install the update, you should check the above bulletins to confirm that your processor is supported.
If you are unsure what CPU your computer is using, you can look in Device Manager or download CPU-Z to view your processors Family and Model numbers.
For example, my processor is an Intel i7-8700k Coffee Lake processor, which the support bulletin states is supported by the latest update.
When installing the update, Microsoft will require you to restart your computer, so be sure to save any open documents before starting the update procedure.
Comments
chilinux - 5 days ago
Being able to apply these updates from Windows is another good reason to get off of Windows 2008 and Windows 2008 R2 to replace it with Windows 2016 or WIndows 2019.
It is disappointing the Intel github repository intel/Intel-Linux-Processor-Microcode-Data-Files has not been updated in 3 months. Microcode updates must be reapplied on boot by either the BIOS or the OS as they are never permanently written to the processor.
buddy215 - 5 days ago
Ubuntu users can find the identity of their CPU by using this command in terminal:
cat /proc/cpuinfo | grep "model name"
pcpunk - 4 days ago
I don't understand how to apply the patch. I thought these were handled by the OEM in BIOS Updates?
xrobwx71 - 3 days ago
"I don't understand how to apply the patch. I thought these were handled by the OEM in BIOS Updates?"
https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=4497165