Microsoft is making available the update KB4589212 for computers running Windows 10 20H2 and version 2004 with a microcode patch for Intel processors.
The update KB4589212 is meant to patch a recently discovered security vulnerability (CVE-2020-8695) known as “Platypus attack,” which could allow attackers to gain access to sensitive information exploiting the Running Average Power Limit (RAPL) interface vulnerability available on Intel processors. However, the microcode update also fixes vulnerabilities described as Vector Register Sampling active (CVE-2020-8696) and Fast store forward predictor (CVE-2020-8698).
Microsoft is making available this update as an standalone package for Intel’s 9th Gen Coffee Lake, 8th Gen Whiskey Lake and Sandy Bridge, Atom Valley View, Pentium and Celeron Valley View and Baytail, 7th Gen Kaby Lake, 6th Gen Skylake, Ivy Bridge, and many other processors.
In addition, the company is adding the update for these processors: Avoton, Sandy Bridge E, EN, EP, EP4S, Sandy Bridge E, EP, and Valley View / Baytrail. If your computer has one of these processors, then the microcode to fix hardware related issues will download and install automatically from Windows Update. But you can always download and install this microcode patch from the Microsoft Update Catalog website.
The update is available for older versions of the operating system (such as version 1909, 1903, and 1809), for more information and download links, you can follow these links:
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert and founder of Pureinfotech (est. 2010). With over 21 years as a technology writer and IT Specialist, Mauro specializes in Windows, software, and cross-platform systems such as Linux, Android, and macOS.
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