If you're using an Intel 8–11th Gen CPU with a Gigabyte motherboard, update your BIOS to protect from a newly discovered vulnerability

(Image credit: Future)

If you're using an older Gigabyte motherboard with an Intel CPU—up to and including a Z590/B560 chipset—you should probably update your BIOS. Some "legacy" chipsets are apparently vulnerable to memory corruption in the System Management Module (SMM), and the company is releasing BIOS updates to patch the vulnerabilities.

In a security update, Gigabyte explains it has "identified multiple memory corruption vulnerabilities within the System Management Mode (SMM) modules used in several legacy GIGABYTE/AORUS consumer motherboards."

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Chipset	BIOS Release Schedule
Intel H110	Jun. 2025
Intel Z170, H170, B150, Q170	EOL, Contact the FAE for support.
Intel Z270, H270, B250, Q270	EOL, Contact the FAE for support.
Intel Z370, B365	EOL, Contact the FAE for support.
Intel Z390, H310, B360, Q370, C246	Jun. 2025
Intel Z490, H470. H410, W480	Jun. 2025
Intel Z590, B560. H510, Q570	Jun. 2025

It looks like the most recent chipsets, Intel 8th to 11th Gen, should have BIOS updates ready to download and install. To do that, you'll want to download your BIOS files from your motherboard's specific support page, copy the files to a FAT32 USB drive, plug it into your motherboard's rear USB port (one that's labelled BIOS or Q-Flash, if there is one), boot into your BIOS, click Q-Flash, and update.

As someone who updates their BIOS about once every *checks watch* never, I'm very much shouting into a mirror with this one. Thankfully I'm just about safe, though, because while I am using an older Intel chip on a Gigabyte motherboard, it's a 12th Gen CPU on a Z690 mobo. Phew, I can bury my head in the sand a little longer, it seems.

For anyone on a slightly older Intel chip, though, get those Gigabyte boards updated. In fact, it's probably best to just keep everything up to date, as even standard gaming software can open kernel-level vulnerabilities on occasion, it seems.

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Jacob got his hands on a gaming PC for the first time when he was about 12 years old. He swiftly realised the local PC repair store had ripped him off with his build and vowed never to let another soul build his rig again. With this vow, Jacob the hardware junkie was born. Since then, Jacob's led a double-life as part-hardware geek, part-philosophy nerd, first working as a Hardware Writer for PCGamesN in 2020, then working towards a PhD in Philosophy for a few years while freelancing on the side for sites such as TechRadar, Pocket-lint, and yours truly, PC Gamer. Eventually, he gave up the ruthless mercenary life to join the world's #1 PC Gaming site full-time. It's definitely not an ego thing, he assures us.

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