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Emergency Windows Meltdown patch may be incompatible with your PC
techrepublic ^ | January 4, 2018, 3:40 AM PST | By Nick Heath |

Posted on 01/04/2018 10:05:16 AM PST by ImJustAnotherOkie

Microsoft has warned some PC users they will not be able to apply an emergency Windows patch because their security software is incompatible.

The out-of-bounds update was issued by Microsoft yesterday to address the Meltdown and Spectre flaws in Intel chips.

These vulnerabilities affect most PCs and servers, and can be exploited to allow an attacker to read sensitive information, such as passwords, from protected memory. The Spectre flaw also affects AMD chips, but is considerably more difficult to exploit, as well as a small number of Arm-based processors.

However, not every Microsoft system will be able to apply the patch, as Microsoft has blocked its installation on PCs running incompatible anti-virus software.

Microsoft says it was necessary to delay the update on these systems to avoid Blue Screen of Death errors that would leave the device unable to boot.


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: amd; arm; hardwarebug; intel; intelchip; intelprocessor; kernelpanic; meltdown; microsoft; spectre; windows
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The cat is officially out of the bag. In essence some Antivirus makers are taking advantage of the bug. This implies that it's been going on for a long time.

For cynics like me this is just another case of a "Back Door" gone bad.

Some Antivirus programs are giving BSOD which happens now when User Programs access System Memory.

1 posted on 01/04/2018 10:05:16 AM PST by ImJustAnotherOkie
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To: visualops

ping to ya.

Perhaps this is the reason malwarebytes started acting up?


2 posted on 01/04/2018 10:06:52 AM PST by TheStickman (#MAGA all day every day!)
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To: ImJustAnotherOkie

I would not be surprised if this was just fake news to get people to dump their old PC’s.

Meanwhile, I’m all AMD except for one old Pentium recording studio computer that never sees the internet. So I’m good...


3 posted on 01/04/2018 10:07:36 AM PST by robroys woman (So you're not confused, I'm male.)
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To: TheStickman
"Perhaps this is the reason malwarebytes started acting up?"

Can you be more specific? My malwarebytes is not quite right either.

4 posted on 01/04/2018 10:10:41 AM PST by blam
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To: robroys woman

Some newer reports are starting to include AMD in the mix too.


5 posted on 01/04/2018 10:16:12 AM PST by ImJustAnotherOkie
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To: ImJustAnotherOkie
Microsoft says it was necessary to delay the update on these systems to avoid Blue Screen of Death errors that would leave the device unable to boot.

Ah, 'fail-safe' -- can't boot, won't be exploited whilst online. At least, you'll have a secure doorstop...

6 posted on 01/04/2018 10:16:23 AM PST by DJ Frisat (Hey, what happened to my clever tag line?!)
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To: blam

I have ESET NOD32 Anti-Virus, applied the latest fix & no problems.


7 posted on 01/04/2018 10:17:06 AM PST by LiveFreeOrDie2001 ( Thank GOD Hillary didn't get elected!)
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To: ImJustAnotherOkie
It does not necessarily follow that any program is using the vulnerability.

This issue could be with what the antivirus programs prevent in the form of changes by Windows, of which the latest patches may address microcode updates Microsoft would never put on a system (usually separate BIOS or Intel update), because they may have to go on before Microsoft can safely reference them.

8 posted on 01/04/2018 10:17:37 AM PST by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
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To: ImJustAnotherOkie

I was kinda waiting for that. ;)


9 posted on 01/04/2018 10:19:05 AM PST by robroys woman (So you're not confused, I'm male.)
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To: LiveFreeOrDie2001
"I have ESET NOD32 Anti-Virus, applied the latest fix & no problems."

I checked after I posted and now it's back to normal. Thanks.

10 posted on 01/04/2018 10:19:16 AM PST by blam
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To: robroys woman

https://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/analysis/3023798/intel-arm-and-amd-all-affected-by-meltdown-and-spectre-security-bypassing-cpu-design-flaw


11 posted on 01/04/2018 10:19:45 AM PST by ImJustAnotherOkie
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To: ImJustAnotherOkie

AMD is completely unaffected by the Meltdown concern.

No media source has said otherwise. AMD also came out and said it’s impossible for any of their processors to have this concern. Probably because AMD takes a safer approach that is often times slower, but robust.


12 posted on 01/04/2018 10:20:55 AM PST by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
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To: ImJustAnotherOkie

It’s the Russians trying to get Hitlery.


13 posted on 01/04/2018 10:21:23 AM PST by fella ("As it was before Noah so shall it be again,")
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To: ConservativeMind
Microsoft's testing revealed a "small number" of antivirus programs are making unsupported calls into Windows kernel memory, which result in blue screen of death (BSOD) errors.

Like you all I know is what I read in the papers.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-meltdown-spectre-patches-if-you-havent-got-them-blame-your-antivirus/

14 posted on 01/04/2018 10:23:04 AM PST by ImJustAnotherOkie
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To: ImJustAnotherOkie

Are any of these “vulnerabilities” actually being exploited as of this date? And by whom?

Or is this an attempt by the chip makers and OS firms to force some hardware/software turnover through scare tactics?

How many of these “vulnerabilities” are actually discovered outside of an OEM R&D department?


15 posted on 01/04/2018 10:23:44 AM PST by factoryrat (We are the producers, the creators. Grow it, mine it, build it. MAGA!)
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To: ConservativeMind

https://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/analysis/3023798/intel-arm-and-amd-all-affected-by-meltdown-and-spectre-security-bypassing-cpu-design-flaw


16 posted on 01/04/2018 10:23:49 AM PST by ImJustAnotherOkie
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To: factoryrat
Microsoft's testing revealed a "small number" of antivirus programs are making unsupported calls into Windows kernel memory, which result in blue screen of death (BSOD) errors.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-meltdown-spectre-patches-if-you-havent-got-them-blame-your-antivirus/

17 posted on 01/04/2018 10:25:51 AM PST by ImJustAnotherOkie
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To: ImJustAnotherOkie

I also have to retract my last statement. I would be reticent to buy a new computer now until computers with CPU’s without this flaw are made available. It appears that that is not coming around the corner, though.


18 posted on 01/04/2018 10:28:05 AM PST by robroys woman (So you're not confused, I'm male.)
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To: ImJustAnotherOkie

Somewhat off topic but the Windows “Creator” update in November, knocks out sleep mode where coming out of sleep turns off the computer. Many threads on this at MS but no real solutions.


19 posted on 01/04/2018 10:33:03 AM PST by Kent C
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To: ImJustAnotherOkie

Your article says nothing about AMD having the Meltdown issue.


20 posted on 01/04/2018 10:38:59 AM PST by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
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