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Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management Blog
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Hardware & Firmware Assessment to identify devices with AMD processors

Tomer_Reisner's avatar
Tomer_Reisner
Former Employee
Sep 08, 2023
  About this vulnerability In certain cases, within the microarchitecture of "Zen 2" CPUs, a register may not be properly written to 0, potentially leading to the storage of data from another pro...
Updated Sep 08, 2023
Version 1.0
suresh164's avatar
suresh164
Copper Contributor
Oct 14, 2023

To assess devices with AMD processors, you can follow a systematic approach that involves both hardware and firmware examination. Here are the steps you can take:

Hardware Assessment:

  1. Physical Inspection: Begin by physically inspecting the devices. Check for any labels or markings that indicate the presence of an AMD processor. This might include stickers on the device or information in the user manual.

  2. System Information:

    • On Windows:
      • Press Win + Pause/Break or right-click "This PC" and select "Properties" to access the System Information.
    • On Linux:
      • Open a terminal and use the or command to gather system information.
    • On macOS:
      • Go to the Apple menu, select "About This Mac," and then click on "System Reporthttps://www.thevaluecreators.org/"

  3. BIOS/UEFI Settings:

    • Restart the device and enter the BIOS/UEFI settings. Typically, this involves pressing a key like F2 or Del during startup. Check the system information in the BIOS/UEFI for processor details.

Firmware Assessment:

  1. Firmware Information:

    • Check the firmware information stored in the BIOS/UEFI settings. This information might include details about the processor and its manufacturer.

  2. System Management Mode (SMM) Code:

    • Examine the system for any software or code that specifically interacts with the processor. In some cases, you might find references to AMD or its microcode in the SMM code.

  3. Firmware Updates:

    • Visit the device manufacturer's website to check for firmware updates. The release notes or documentation for these updates may mention the type of processors supported, including AMD processors.

  4. System Logs:

    • Check system logs for any firmware-related messages or information about the processor. Logs might be available in the event viewer on Windows, syslog on Linux, or console logs on macOS.

  5. CPU Microcode Version:

    • Use system utilities to inspect the CPU microcode version. You can do this through tools like CPU-Z or by running specific commands in the operating systemhttps://newstoday360.com

Remember that the exact steps and tools may vary depending on the device's operating system and firmware. Additionally, keep in mind that not all AMD processors may be clearly labelled in the firmware or hardware, so a combination of these steps is usually necessary to accurately identify the processor type.