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markd89
Contributor
Contributor

Windows Guests - Intel Processor Bugs aka Meltdown Spectre January 2018 KB4056892 KB4056897 - Are virtualized environments also at risk?

Microsoft has created updated for Windows 7 - Windows 10 to workaround the Intel processor security issues that were recently disclosed. (Note you can find manual downloads by searching for KB4056892 KB4056897)

I am running Windows 7 as a guest under a Linux host.

I plan on patching Linux when an update is available.

Do I also need to patch the Windows 7 guest or is it not susceptible because it is running as a VM?

Thanks!

Mark

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daphnissov
Immortal
Immortal

All OSs are susceptible including hypervisors. There is an existing thread in which the meltdown and spectre vulnerabilities are being discussed here.

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HackerKitty
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I am using Windows 10 guest OS on Ubuntu Mate (17.04) host running VMware 14.1 on AMD Phenom II X4.

When I installed KB4056892 update, Windows 10 VM crashed and the host Linux got rebooted.

I have been using the vitual environment for about 4 years and it was the first time I witnessed a guest Windows

crashed and took host Linux with it.

Windows is indeed a powerful OS Smiley Wink.

There are reports of imcompatibility between KB4056892 and older AMD CPUs.

I am not very clear if mine is one of those CPUs, but I blocked KB4056892 installation as a precaution.

There is a handy tool called "wushowhide.diagcab" which can be downloaded firectory from Microsoft for this purpose.

At any rate, my understanding is that this patch is mainly for Intel CPUs and AMD CPUs will not be benefitted much from it.

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