Microsoft Patches for CPU Flaws Break Windows, Apps

security week ^ | 1/8/2018 | Eduard Kovacs

[bitt]

Users have complained that the updates released by Microsoft last week for the Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities cause Windows to break down on some computers with AMD processors.

Several individuals whose computers rely on AMD processors, particularly older Athlon models, say they are unable to start Windows 10 after installing KB4056892, an update released by Microsoft in response to the disclosure of serious flaws affecting Intel, AMD and ARM processors.

The security holes have been dubbed Spectre and Meltdown and they allow malicious applications to bypass memory isolation mechanisms and access passwords, photos, documents, emails, and other sensitive information. Both local and remote exploitation are possible.

Users have reported that after installing Microsoft’s update the operating system freezes during boot when the Windows logo is displayed. Some users claimed to have had problems reverting to a previous state, and those who did manage to do it warned that the automatic update feature needs to quickly be disabled to prevent the update from being reinstalled.

While a majority of the affected users appear to have older AMD Athlon processors, some devices with AMD Turion CPUs also appear to have been hit.

Microsoft has not shared any information regarding this issue. A Microsoft spokesperson told SecurityWeek that the company is aware of the reports and is investigating.

[Brown Deer]

No it didn’t. That’s exactly the same one that I had!

[hoosierham]

The skinny white 1200 was xdesigned to match the C64
I have a HUGE stock of C= but haven’t used one in years.
Bought nearly every accessory available until about ten years ago.
Sad to watch Commodore demise.

[Brown Deer]

That wasn’t available until the mid 1980s. The only modem that worked with the Commodore 64 when it first came out was the VICMODEM.