Microsoft releases new security update against bug found on Intel chips

Intel has been making headlines as a chipset flaw named as Meltdown and Spectre have been creating major security issues on all computer platforms including Windows, Linux, and macOS. Amidst this ongoing crisis, Microsoft has already released emergency updates to supported versions of Windows earlier this month. But there seems to be more to the Intel flaw.

Microsoft has yet again released another security patch against "Spectre Variant 2" bug found on Intel chips. The new update comes as Intel has reported issues with recently released microcode meant to address "Spectre variant 2" termed as "CVE 2017-5715 Branch Target Injection". Intel noted that this microcode can cause "higher than expected reboots and other unpredictable system behaviour," adding that situations like this may result in "data loss or corruption".

"While Intel tests, updates and deploys new microcode, we are making available an out of band update 'KB4078130′ that specifically disables only the mitigation against CVE-2017-5715 - Branch target injection vulnerability," Microsoft wrote on its support page on Sunday.

"Our own experience is that system instability can in some circumstances cause data loss or corruption. In our testing this new update has been found to prevent the behavior described," Microsoft said.
Microsoft is also offering a new option - available for advanced users on impacted devices - to manually disable and enable the mitigation against Spectre Variant 2 (CVE 2017-5715) independently via the registry setting changes. "There are no known reports to indicate that this Spectre variant 2 (CVE 2017-5715) has been used to attack customers, a Microsoft said.

After chip-maker Intel confirmed a potential security flaw in its chips, Microsoft has been quick to issue emergency updates to its Windows OS. While Intel Corp has confirmed two security flaws - "Meltdown and "Spectre" - in its chips that were vulnerable to hacking the company's CEO Brian Krzanich has allayed fears of any data breach.

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Addressing the gathering at his keynote address at the "CES 2018" earlier this month, Krzanich said, "Our primary goal has been to keep our customers safe. We have not received any information that these exploits have been used to obtain customers' data. The Intel CEO urged everyone to patch their systems as soon as these are available.