Merged today ahead of the Linux 6.15-rc3 kernel test release on Sunday were the set of "x86 fixes" for the week. Of these x86 fixes are two notable changes in particular.

First up, the AMD CPU microcode loader SHA hash check verification has been extended to Zen 5 processors. This expanded SHA checking for Zen 5 CPUs is to verify and block any unreleased standalone Zen 5 microcode patches, in order to address possible rogue microcode scenarios that could contain a malicious payload. The security issue and this expanded AMD CPU microcode checking was covered in a separate Phoronix article a few days ago with [1]Linux Tightening Up AMD Zen 5 CPU Microcode Check .

The other notable change for the x86 fixes in Linux 6.15-rc3 is adding the Intel Bartlett Lake CPU ID. This too was covered on Phoronix right away when the patches first surfaced in [2]Intel Begins Linux Preparations For Bartlett Lake . This patch is just adding the necessary definition while it opens the door for other Bartlett Lake specific patches to be now introduced to the mainline kernel either as Linux 6.15 "fixes" or in prepping the door for the Linux 6.16 merge window come late May.

The other x86 fixes for the week are just other small items and outlined within [3]this Git merge . The code is all in place for Linux 6.15-rc3 set to debut on Sunday.



[1] https://www.phoronix.com/news/AMD-Zen-5-Linux-Microcode-Check

[2] https://www.phoronix.com/news/Intel-Bartlett-Lake-Linux-Start

[3] https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=3088d26962e802efa3aa5188f88f82a957f50b22