Microsoft has released new Intel microcode updates for all supported Windows 10 versions that revise mitigation for four Microarchitectural Data Sampling (MDS) threats. The updates are being made available via the Update Catalog for all users. However, users running certain versions of Intel’s processors will receive the updates through Windows Update.
Microcode updates are aimed at patching hardware vulnerabilities that require not only a software fix, but also firmware level changes. The best examples of such updates are the Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities that required multiple software and microcode updates. The recent updates target multiple processor generations – across desktops and laptops.
The following KB articles for the respective Windows 10 versions provide more information on the list of processors being patched:
| Version | KB Article |
|---|---|
| Windows 10 (version 1507) | |
| Windows 10 version 1607 | |
| Windows 10 version 1703 | |
| Windows 10 version 1709 | |
| Windows 10 version 1803 | |
| Windows 10 version 1809 | |
| Windows 10 version 1903 and version 1909 | |
| Windows 10 version 2004 |
The updates also apply to the corresponding Windows Server versions, such as Windows Server 2016 and 2019. Users can head to the Update Catalog here and search for the relevant KB articles to download the updates manually. You can also head to the pages to search for the processor generations for which the updates are being served through Windows Update.
Source: Microsoft via BleepingComputer