Intel’s CPU firmware patches for Spectre exploits cause more frequent reboots in most modern PCs, but you should still install them.
The firmware patches designed to protect Intel processors against nasty Spectre CPU exploits have a big downside: They’re forcing more frequent reboots on some systems, including PCs that released in 2017.
On January 11, Intel said that the firmware patches prompted more frequent reboots in Haswell (2013) and Broadwell (2014) systems. Late Wednesday, Intel executive vice president Navin Shenoy revealed that many other processor generations also succumb to the reboot bug: Sandy Bridge (2011), Ivy Bridge (2012), Skylake (2015), and Kaby Lake (2017). The only processors from the last five years that run without issue—yet, at least—appear to be the newest Intel 8th-gen CPUs, dubbed Coffee Lake.
“We have reproduced these issues internally and are making progress toward identifying the root cause,” Shenoy says. “In parallel, we will be providing beta microcode to vendors for validation by next week.”
Even with the reboot issue, the existing firmware updates still deliver valuable protection against potential Spectre attacks. “Intel recommends that partners maintain availability of existing microcode updates already released to end users,” the company’s security advisory says. “Intel does not recommend pulling back any updates already made available to end users.”
