Avast Antivirus compatibility with Windows update for Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities

Microsoft has released a security patch for Windows 10 Version 1709 to block attempts by hackers and malware to exploit the Meltdown and Spectre vulnerability discovered in Intel x86-64 processors. The patch is included in the Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1709 (KB4056892) and installs automatically using the Windows Update service, but your antivirus software must be fully compatible. For more details, refer to the following article on the Microsoft website:

• January 3, 2018—KB4056892 (OS Build 16299.192)

Instructions

The latest version of Avast Antivirus is compatible with the Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1709 (KB4056892). To ensure your Avast Antivirus software is up to date, refer to the following article:

• Updating Virus definitions and Avast Antivirus Program version

The KB4056892 update is then installed automatically using the Windows Update service. To manually check for the latest Windows updates:

1. Right-click the Windows Start button and select Settings from the menu that appears.
2. Click Update & security.
3. Ensure the Windows Update tab is selected on the left side menu, then click Check for updates.
4. Click Restart now after installing all available updates.

Further recommendations

If you cannot install the KB4056892 update using Windows Update:

• Make sure you are running the latest Windows 10 version 1709 (a.k.a. Windows 10 Fall Creators Update). For more information, refer to the following articles on the Microsoft website:
  • Which Windows operating system am I running?
  • Get the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update
• Manually download and install the update from the Microsoft website:
  • 2018-01 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1709 (KB4056892)