Microsoft's fix for 'data damage' risk hits PC performance
- Reference: 1660051806
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2022/08/09/widows_data_damage/
- Source link:
The data damage warning turned up in a support article ( [1]KB5017259 ) and is related to devices supporting the newest Vector Advanced Encryption Standard (VAES) instruction set.
It's a bit awkward since Microsoft insisted that its [2]infamous hardware compatibility list for Windows 11 was about CPU security and experience, but here we are. The issue also applies to Windows Server 2022.
[3]
The fix is, as ever, to bite the bullet and apply Microsoft's updates. The June 23 patch preview release or July 12 security update should resolve the issue, although both carry their own complications. The July 12 patches ( [4]KB5015814 ), for example, left the Start Menu inoperative on some Windows 11 machines, resulting in a Known Issue Rollback for Microsoft.
[5]
[6]
The good news is that Microsoft reckons the data damage issue was already addressed in the May 24 patch preview and June 14 patch release. The bad news though is that performance was then affected for some users who applied those updates. BitLocker, TLS and Disk throughput (especially for enterprise customers) were hit and, according to Microsoft, "AES-based operations might be two times (2x) slower after installing the Windows update for the May 24, 2022 preview release or the June 14, 2022 security release."
[7]Microsoft tightens Edge security for less visited websites
[8]DuckDuckGo says Hell, Hell, No to those Microsoft trackers after web revolt
[9]FauxPilot: It's like GitHub Copilot but doesn't phone home to Microsoft
[10]Microsoft's Teams goes native on Apple, retains a human touch
Microsoft wrote: "We added new code paths to the Windows 11 (original release) and Windows Server 2022 versions of SymCrypt to take advantage of VAES (vectorized AES) instructions. SymCrypt is the core cryptographic library in Windows. These instructions act on Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX) registers for hardware with the newest supported processors.
"Performance will be restored after you install the June 23, 2022 preview release or the July 12, 2022 security release."
Oddly, the performance hit is not mentioned in the known issues for the May 24 or June 14 emissions for Windows 11 or Windows Server 2022, but at least Microsoft has come clean now, meaning those wondering why that server or laptop was running slow have an answer.
[11]
Microsoft's warning carries a sharp edge or two. Yes, you need to keep up to date with patches but be warned, sometimes your computer might simply slow down until the next update.
As ever, test before deployment. ®
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[1] https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/topic/kb5017259-windows-devices-that-have-the-newest-supported-processors-might-be-susceptible-to-data-damage-d5e7c0cb-6e0a-4865-81ed-c82e91657a24
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2021/09/30/windows_11_workstations/
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YvKEpyFVzkctuCeyAhfywwAAANc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/topic/july-12-2022-kb5015814-os-build-22000-795-74e7676e-4182-4747-8f73-bbe0c497dc2a
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YvKEpyFVzkctuCeyAhfywwAAANc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YvKEpyFVzkctuCeyAhfywwAAANc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/08/microsoft_edge_security_browsing/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/06/in_brief_security/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/06/fauxpilot_github_copilot/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/04/teams_apple_wales/
[11] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YvKEpyFVzkctuCeyAhfywwAAANc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[12] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Data damage come again ?????
My first thought was a memory (from the 80s) that it was possible to fry some video cards by messing with the refresh rates, and some disk drives by cycling a hammerhead sequence.
There was also the ability to low-level format some (badly designed) hardcards. However that didn't "damaged" them. Just lost data.
*That's* "data damage" - damage done by data. It has to be, since it is fucking impossible to do damage *to* data
SMH
On the one hand, it's Microsoft being Microsoft.
On the other hand, it's Microsoft's problem of being too popular and having too many combinations of hardware and software to support with the cracks becoming too big.
On the other other hand (what can I say, I'm a mutant) it's the modern world where security slows things down (and costs more money). We are forced to suck it up with no hopes that it will ever change.
Is it just me, or, for too many years now, have M$ opertaing systems and their updates merely been sticking plaster, upon sticking plaster, upon sti.... (you get the idea). Is their apparent osbsession with "fun stuff" and "user convenience" to blame perhaps? I appreciate that with the constantly changing variety of hardware available there is no doubt a significant challenge to find a level playing field that fits all. But the thing is that there is very little in life that ever "fits all". Personally I would much rather have less, or indeed no, bells and whistles, but instead a stable, secure platform to work with and that requires the bare minimum of tinkering about with once it is up and running. Perhaps that might be called Win11 Lite - I dunno.
Sick and tired of Microsoft, and its excuses
It all the time.
I should charge Microsoft for the countless hours, that I've had to spend, fixing their erroneous updates etc.
I reckon over the last 10 years, I've spent best part of 4 months sorting their crap out,
perhaps its time to bight the bullet, dump windows, and finally move over to Linux
Data damage come again ?????
Sorry but WTF ?
And fair play to Vulture central for indicating this is a load of marketing bollox with the quotes in the headline, but to plough (oops, we're all American now), plow on into the next 2 sentence without a hint of irony ????