Spectre/Meltdown firmware for cMP?

[Squuiid]

Now that Intel have finally released microcode updates for the 5600 and 5500 series Xeon CPUs we really should be seeing a firmware update from Apple for our 4,1 and 5,1 cMPs.

Dell just released their update yesterday for the R710 server which shares the same chipset and CPUs as our 4,1 and 5,1 cMPs.
Hopefully Apple won't be too far behind!

Dell Server BIOS R710 Version 6.5.0
Fixes & Enhancements
Fixes
- None for this release.
Enhancements
-Updated the Intel Xeon Processor Microcode to address CVE-2017-5715 (http://www.cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=2017-5715).
-Updated the Intel Xeon Processor 5600 Series B1 stepping Microcode to version 0x1E.
-Updated the Intel Xeon Processor 5500 Series D0 stepping Microcode to version 0x1C.
-CVE-2017-5753 and CVE-2017-5754 are resolved by Operating System & Hypervisor updates. For more information, visit http://www.dell.com/support/article/SLN308588.
Version
Version 6.5.0
Category
BIOS
Release date
20 Mar 2018
http://www.dell.com/support/home/uk/en/ukbsdt1/drivers/driversdetails?driverId=1Y3XN

 

[bsbeamer]

It's possible, but I am not confident we will see a firmware update from Apple. If we do and it is required, I'll be putting my GTX 680 Official Mac version and single-core tray back into 5,1 before proceeding.

 

[now i see it]

I thought Apple made a software patch in High Sierra that mitigated the risk while creating "minimal hardware slowdown".

 

[AidenShaw]

I thought Apple made a software patch in High Sierra that mitigated the risk while creating "minimal hardware slowdown".

Note that the Dell patch above has a BIOS update for one of the three bugs, and says that the other two are handled by software.

 

[ActionableMango]

I thought Apple made a software patch in High Sierra that mitigated the risk while creating "minimal hardware slowdown".

There are several methods for attack and if I understand it correctly, one of them cannot be patched at the OS level--it has to be fixed in firmware.

I just installed the latest firmware in my PC with MSI motherboard. This security fix is one of the changes.