As Intel finalizes them, Microsoft started distributing Microcode updates for the Spectre variant 2, the updates now have a reach from the latest Coffee Lake processors, Kaby Lake (Core iX-7xxx and iX-8xxxU), Intel Skylake (Core iX-6xxx) up-to-now even Sandy Bridge (Core iX-2xxx).
Put short, these patches will make your PC safer, even without a mandatory firmware update. To be able to retrieve the patches, you must have Windows 10 installed with build 1607/1703 or 1709. If you are on Windows 7 or 8.1, you’ll need to wait until your motherboard manufacturers if and will release a firmware update to patch the vulnerabilities.
Our colleagues from Computerbase noted that Microsoft has already started offering Spectre fixes for Skylake, Kaby Lake and Coffee Lake. For the time being, these still have to be downloaded manually, but it is obvious that the patches will be automatically distributed as updates soon enough. If you are on an older generation like Sandy bridge, we can safely assume that such a patch will be coming in through windows update in the next weeks. BTW Meltdown has already patched through windows update weeks ago.
To check out if you have been patched and updated, you can download InSpectre for a quick assessment.
