Intel releases new microcode for westmere, lynnfield sandy bridge and ivy bridge

Intel has announced the release today of the latest round of microcode updates to mitigate Specter and Meltdown vulnerabilities in its processors. The latest release is responsible for protecting all Westmere, Lynnfield Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge processors.

Westmere, Lynnfield Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge receive new microcode for Specter and Meltdown

So far, the Westmere and Lynnfield processors. This update comes with an upgrade to the protection offered against Specter Variant 4, and perhaps even the 3A RSRR variant, narrated in CVE-2018-3640. Specter and Meltdown are two serious vulnerabilities that are present at the silicon level in all processors today, although Intel's are the most vulnerable to the most serious variants.

We recommend reading our post on Intel that talks about Specter and Meltdown, in addition to their processes at 14 nm and 10 nm

This type of security flaws cannot be corrected at the hardware level in the processor, so the software must be in charge of closing the security holes. Intel's microcodes are included in the BIOS of motherboard manufacturers, and are the best option to correct the problem since they operate at the lowest level.

The downside is that they need a long testing process to make sure everything works correctly, and then it must be the motherboard manufacturers who integrate them into their BIOS, something that often does not happen with the models that carry more years in the market.

It is great news to know that Intel continues to work hard to improve the security of its users, now we can only hope that the new microcode update can reach a large number of users. Are you a user of a Westmere, Lynnfield Sandy Bridge or Ivy Bridge processor?

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