Intel: Stop Installing Security Patches Until Further Notice
Intel has asked computer makers to stop rolling out a set of faulty patches it issued to fix security flaws in its chips and instead start testing an updated version.
In an update related to previously reported reboot issues casued by patches released for the so-called Meltdown and Spectre security flaws, Intel said is has identified the root cause for Broadwell and Haswell platforms, and that it has made "good progress" in developing a solution to address it. Over the weekend, Intel said it began rolling out an early version of the updated solution for testing. Intel will make a final release available once that testing has been completed.
Based on this Intel recommends that OEMs, cloud service providers, system manufacturers, software vendors and end users stop deployment of current versions, as they may introduce higher than expected reboots and other unpredictable system behavior.
On Jan. 3 Intel confirmed that Spectre and Meltdown affected its chips.
Meltdown was specific to chips from Intel, as well as one from ARM Holdings. Spectre affected nearly every modern computing device, including those with chips from those companies and AMD.
Last week, Intel said the problem also affected its most recent Ivy Bridge, Sandy Bridge, Skylake and Kaby Lake processors.