Should I have intel-microcode installed if my UEFI/BIOS is regularly updated (new machine)?

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Hardware: Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming 7577, model number 7577-92774 (new machine).



System: I am testing Linux Mint 19 Beta based on Ubuntu 18.04.



I have an Intel Kaby Lake CPU: Intel© Core™ i7-7700HQ CPU @ 2.80GHz (Ark Intel).



I am curious as to what advantages / disadvantages an installed intel-microcode package has, if I regularly update my UEFI/BIOS; the latest update was on 13 Jun 2018.



I also regularly check for vulnerabilities with the help of spectre-meltdown-checker from GitHub.



Its output is the same as with or without intel-microcode installed (I rebooted after de-/installation before each check):



spectre-meltdown-checker



So, I suppose from the security standpoint I am covered, at the time of writing at least.



What I am unsure of, are other aspects, like performance or stability with or without the package.



Please add as much detail as possible. Thank you.







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    up vote
    1
    down vote

    favorite












    Hardware: Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming 7577, model number 7577-92774 (new machine).



    System: I am testing Linux Mint 19 Beta based on Ubuntu 18.04.



    I have an Intel Kaby Lake CPU: Intel© Core™ i7-7700HQ CPU @ 2.80GHz (Ark Intel).



    I am curious as to what advantages / disadvantages an installed intel-microcode package has, if I regularly update my UEFI/BIOS; the latest update was on 13 Jun 2018.



    I also regularly check for vulnerabilities with the help of spectre-meltdown-checker from GitHub.



    Its output is the same as with or without intel-microcode installed (I rebooted after de-/installation before each check):



    spectre-meltdown-checker



    So, I suppose from the security standpoint I am covered, at the time of writing at least.



    What I am unsure of, are other aspects, like performance or stability with or without the package.



    Please add as much detail as possible. Thank you.







    share|improve this question























      up vote
      1
      down vote

      favorite









      up vote
      1
      down vote

      favorite











      Hardware: Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming 7577, model number 7577-92774 (new machine).



      System: I am testing Linux Mint 19 Beta based on Ubuntu 18.04.



      I have an Intel Kaby Lake CPU: Intel© Core™ i7-7700HQ CPU @ 2.80GHz (Ark Intel).



      I am curious as to what advantages / disadvantages an installed intel-microcode package has, if I regularly update my UEFI/BIOS; the latest update was on 13 Jun 2018.



      I also regularly check for vulnerabilities with the help of spectre-meltdown-checker from GitHub.



      Its output is the same as with or without intel-microcode installed (I rebooted after de-/installation before each check):



      spectre-meltdown-checker



      So, I suppose from the security standpoint I am covered, at the time of writing at least.



      What I am unsure of, are other aspects, like performance or stability with or without the package.



      Please add as much detail as possible. Thank you.







      share|improve this question













      Hardware: Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming 7577, model number 7577-92774 (new machine).



      System: I am testing Linux Mint 19 Beta based on Ubuntu 18.04.



      I have an Intel Kaby Lake CPU: Intel© Core™ i7-7700HQ CPU @ 2.80GHz (Ark Intel).



      I am curious as to what advantages / disadvantages an installed intel-microcode package has, if I regularly update my UEFI/BIOS; the latest update was on 13 Jun 2018.



      I also regularly check for vulnerabilities with the help of spectre-meltdown-checker from GitHub.



      Its output is the same as with or without intel-microcode installed (I rebooted after de-/installation before each check):



      spectre-meltdown-checker



      So, I suppose from the security standpoint I am covered, at the time of writing at least.



      What I am unsure of, are other aspects, like performance or stability with or without the package.



      Please add as much detail as possible. Thank you.









      share|improve this question












      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question








      edited Jun 22 at 3:51
























      asked Jun 21 at 4:08









      Vlastimil

      6,2511146115




      6,2511146115




















          1 Answer
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          TL;DR



          Unless you have an uncommon reason, yes, you should have it installed.



          Long answer



          The public intel-microcode distribution package is very low-risk, and after the issues with the first round of Spectre fixes, Intel has been even more conservative at pushing fixes to that distribution.



          That means it is a good second-layer of safety to have it installed and up-to-date, in case your UEFI/BIOS starts getting outdated for whatever reason.



          It is fact that it will become relevant sooner or later when your system vendor starts getting sloppy at updating the firmware because your system is not being sold anymore, etc.






          share|improve this answer























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            1 Answer
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            1 Answer
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            up vote
            2
            down vote



            accepted










            TL;DR



            Unless you have an uncommon reason, yes, you should have it installed.



            Long answer



            The public intel-microcode distribution package is very low-risk, and after the issues with the first round of Spectre fixes, Intel has been even more conservative at pushing fixes to that distribution.



            That means it is a good second-layer of safety to have it installed and up-to-date, in case your UEFI/BIOS starts getting outdated for whatever reason.



            It is fact that it will become relevant sooner or later when your system vendor starts getting sloppy at updating the firmware because your system is not being sold anymore, etc.






            share|improve this answer



























              up vote
              2
              down vote



              accepted










              TL;DR



              Unless you have an uncommon reason, yes, you should have it installed.



              Long answer



              The public intel-microcode distribution package is very low-risk, and after the issues with the first round of Spectre fixes, Intel has been even more conservative at pushing fixes to that distribution.



              That means it is a good second-layer of safety to have it installed and up-to-date, in case your UEFI/BIOS starts getting outdated for whatever reason.



              It is fact that it will become relevant sooner or later when your system vendor starts getting sloppy at updating the firmware because your system is not being sold anymore, etc.






              share|improve this answer

























                up vote
                2
                down vote



                accepted







                up vote
                2
                down vote



                accepted






                TL;DR



                Unless you have an uncommon reason, yes, you should have it installed.



                Long answer



                The public intel-microcode distribution package is very low-risk, and after the issues with the first round of Spectre fixes, Intel has been even more conservative at pushing fixes to that distribution.



                That means it is a good second-layer of safety to have it installed and up-to-date, in case your UEFI/BIOS starts getting outdated for whatever reason.



                It is fact that it will become relevant sooner or later when your system vendor starts getting sloppy at updating the firmware because your system is not being sold anymore, etc.






                share|improve this answer















                TL;DR



                Unless you have an uncommon reason, yes, you should have it installed.



                Long answer



                The public intel-microcode distribution package is very low-risk, and after the issues with the first round of Spectre fixes, Intel has been even more conservative at pushing fixes to that distribution.



                That means it is a good second-layer of safety to have it installed and up-to-date, in case your UEFI/BIOS starts getting outdated for whatever reason.



                It is fact that it will become relevant sooner or later when your system vendor starts getting sloppy at updating the firmware because your system is not being sold anymore, etc.







                share|improve this answer















                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer








                edited Jul 15 at 17:03









                Vlastimil

                6,2511146115




                6,2511146115











                answered Jun 21 at 10:55









                anonymous

                462




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