<story><title>Intel won’t release Spectre patches for some older chips after all</title><url>https://liliputing.com/2018/04/intel-wont-release-spectre-patches-for-some-older-chips-after-all.html</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>DCKing</author><text>The support list [1] is weird. Gulftown (Core i7) and Westmere-EP (Xeon) are essentially the same chips yet only the latter is patched. The distinction between Gulftown and Westmere-EP actually was barely ever made until now. And Intel&amp;#x27;s confusing product line has lasted until today - the Xeon W3690 is apparently Gulftown (the only Xeon) and is not patched [2], yet the Xeon W3670 and W3680 are Westmere-EP and will receive their microcode updates [3].&lt;p&gt;According to this document, make sure to read your CPU&amp;#x27;s model numbers carefully. It doesn&amp;#x27;t reflect well on Intel that the line does &lt;i&gt;not&lt;/i&gt; appear to be drawn based on technical capability, but apparently on contractual obligations.&lt;p&gt;Many CPUs in the unsupported list still make very serviceable hardware in 2018. It&amp;#x27;s a shame a security issue will only add to their obsoletion, or make people using this hardware more vulnerable. Spectre variant 2 is difficult to exploit in practice, but that sounds like some famous last words.&lt;p&gt;[1]: &lt;a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;newsroom.intel.com&amp;#x2F;wp-content&amp;#x2F;uploads&amp;#x2F;sites&amp;#x2F;11&amp;#x2F;2018&amp;#x2F;04&amp;#x2F;microcode-update-guidance.pdf&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;newsroom.intel.com&amp;#x2F;wp-content&amp;#x2F;uploads&amp;#x2F;sites&amp;#x2F;11&amp;#x2F;2018&amp;#x2F;...&lt;/a&gt;&lt;p&gt;[2]: On page 8&lt;p&gt;[3]: On page 16</text></comment>
<story><title>Intel won’t release Spectre patches for some older chips after all</title><url>https://liliputing.com/2018/04/intel-wont-release-spectre-patches-for-some-older-chips-after-all.html</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>ken</author><text>This list includes the base model CPU in the 2009, 2010, and 2012 Mac Pros, as well as some of the BTO upgrades.  I&amp;#x27;m disappointed, but not surprised.&lt;p&gt;The 2012 Mac Pros, in particular, were still being sold less than 5 years ago, so this means it&amp;#x27;s still officially supported by Apple.  I wonder if there&amp;#x27;s some awkward conversations happening between the two companies about that.&lt;p&gt;Fortunately, it&amp;#x27;s possible to upgrade the CPU in a Mac Pro to a newer part which is still supported by Intel.</text></comment>