Micro-Renovator: Bringing Processor Firmware up to Code

Micro-Renovator is a tool that allows end-users to apply microcode updates without modifying platform firmware or the operating system, through simple modifications to the EFI boot partition.

• Spectre highlighted a weak link in the patching process for many users: firmware (un)availability
• Inconsistent support from platform and operating system vendors has left millions of users without a way to consume critical security updates
• Micro-Renovator provides the ability to apply microcode updates without modifying either platform firmware or the operating system, through simple (and reversible) modifications to the EFI boot partition

The speaker, who used to design CPUs, created Micro-Renovator to address the issue of firmware patching for Spectre. Microcode updates are necessary to fix the vulnerability, but end-users are unable to directly consume them. Instead, platform and operating system vendors need to distribute firmware and kernel patches which include the new microcode. Inconsistent support from those vendors has left millions of users without a way to consume these critical security updates. Micro-Renovator provides a solution to this problem by allowing end-users to apply microcode updates without modifying platform firmware or the operating system, through simple modifications to the EFI boot partition.

The mitigations for Spectre highlighted a weak link in the patching process for many users: firmware (un)availability. While updated microcode was made publicly available for many processors, end-users are unable to directly consume it. Instead, platform and operating system vendors need to distribute firmware and kernel patches which include the new microcode. Inconsistent support from those vendors has left millions of users without a way to consume these critical security updates, until now. Micro-Renovator provides the ability to apply microcode updates without modifying either platform firmware or the operating system, through simple (and reversible) modifications to the EFI boot partition.