Intel says it won't patch some older chips against Spectre variant 2

Intel says that information technology won't event patches to some older processors impacted by Spectre variant 2 flaw. In an update to its Microcode Update Guidance (via ZDNet), Intel has changed the patch status of several CPU families to "stopped."

The flake lines affected are largely older, and include: Bloomfield and Bloomfield Xeon, Clarksfield, Gulftown, Harpertown Xeon C0 and E0, Jasper Forest, Penryn/QC, SoFIA 3GR, Wolfdale C0 and M0, Wolfdale E0 and R0, Wolfdale Xeon C0 and Xeon E0, Yorkfield, and Yorkfield Xeon.

In its Microcode Update Guidance, Intel says that it has changed the condition of the affected chips to "stopped" for a few reasons. From Intel:

After a comprehensive investigation of the microarchitectures and microcode capabilities for these products, Intel has determined to not release microcode updates for these products for one or more reasons including, but not limited to the following:

Micro-architectural characteristics that preclude a applied implementation of features mitigating Variant 2 (CVE-2017-5715)

Express Commercially Available System Software support

Based on customer inputs, most of these products are implemented as "airtight systems" and therefore are expected to have a lower likelihood of exposure to these vulnerabilities.

In a statement to Windows Central, an Intel spokesman said: "We've at present completed release of microcode updates for Intel microprocessor products launched in the last ix+ years that required protection confronting the side-channel vulnerabilities discovered by Google. However, as indicated in our latest microcode revision guidance, we will non be providing updated microcode for a select number of older platforms for several reasons, including express ecosystem back up and client feedback."

In Jan, Intel released an initial batch of fixes for some platforms, simply later brash against installing them after some users reported that the patches were causing unwanted reboots. In February, the company issued a new ready of fixes for a ready of platforms.

In March, Intel said that information technology had shipped microcode updates for 100 per centum of its products released in the past five years.. Going forward, Intel says that its upcoming eighth-generation chips volition have protections confronting Meltdown and Spectre congenital in.

Updated April 4, 2022: Updated with a statement from an Intel spokesperson.

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