Microsoft January 2018 Security Bulletin

This emergency security release consists of security updates for the following software: Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Microsoft Windows. This is in response to ongoing security concerns with Intel and AMD processors and a class of vulnerabilities published by Google Project Zero which can be exploited by speculative execution side-channel attacks.

All supported versions of windows are affected: Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 version 1511, 1607, 1703 and 1709, Windows Server 2008 & 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012 & 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server, version 1709.

If you are not being offered the Windows security updates released on January 3, 2018, you are most likely running incompatible antivirus software. You can find more information in Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 4072699

More details about the updates can be found on Microsoft Security portal and in Advisory ADV180002.

 

My AMD based systems (W7 and W10) have not yet had any offers for this update. Maybe the update is for Intel based systems only?

 

But according to the researchers AMD is susceptible to one of the two published attacks, the "Spectre" version (the other being dubbed "Meltdown").

You can read more in this Wired article: A Critical Intel Flaw Breaks Basic Security for Most Computers

I just found an official AMD Statement, that contradicts the above:

So AMD is vulnerable to one of the 3 bugs.

 

Here is a compatibility list of third-party AV products

 

In KB4072699 (from Arie's first post), a key in the registry is referred to:

Note: Customers will not receive these security updates and will not be protected from security vulnerabilities unless their anti-virus software vendor sets the following registry key:
Key="HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" Subkey="SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\QualityCompat" Value="cadca5fe-87d3-4b96-b7fb-a231484277cc" Type="REG_DWORD”

but it doesn't say to which value it should be set. On both my systems (W7 + MSE and W10 + Defender) it is set to 0 (zero) but is that correct?

 

After a restart, KB4056892 dropped down on my (AMD) W10 + Defender system. The KB article states that the value 0 (zero) is correct for that key.

Edited: When the update was being installed, there was a problem with a task not finishing in TaskManager but after two restarts (one seriously forced to kill the task and a second to complete the installation) it went all the way.

 

Here is a good overview article that explains what is going on, How Will the Meltdown and Spectre Flaws Affect My PC?

 

This morning, KB4056894 was offered to my (AMD) W7 + MSE system. It installed without problems.

 

I have noticed that the fan on my LapTop has started running, even when idling. I can't remember ever having heard it before.

The exhaust is to the right where the mousepad is and my hand can feel the warmth. This means energy loss and energy comes from the battery pack. Right now it is connected to the charger but I wonder how this affects battery time? I will soon find out ... ... I guess.

 

Well, a week ago I had the LapTop running a slideshow on its own display. This means that the sceen is never shut down and from a full charge, the battery lasted 4½ hours until 10% and 30 minutes to go.

After posting my previous message, I restarted the LapTop, set it to run that slideshow again and pulled the powercord. To my surprise, the fan was no longer revving and no warm air vented. Like the previous friday, the battery lasted 4½ hours before I reconnected the charger.

I'm right behind you but BOBBO may have a different opinion?

 

Are you by chance using Firefox? I do and since a few iterations back (57.n.n), it has a tendency to use some high CPU-cycles and leaves a memory footprint when visiting some sites. I think it has something to do with what these sites are doing in the background but that's just speculation.

 

Sorry that I didn't notice the information in your signature. The SeaMonkey Project homepage states that it is using the Firefox 52.4 platform and I can't recall any high CPU-cycles back then. No matter what, you too seem to have a silent system, indicating that it was a temporary occurence!

 

Interesting read but I haven't noticed any degradation in performance. In comparison with the SSD's and CPU's tested, I would think that my system is of pretty "low end" performance ... ... update or no update!