Misleading Microcode Update Information in Dell OptiPlex Release Documentation (and probably other platforms)

[pietrushnic]

Component

Dasharo firmware

Device

Dell OptiPlex 7010, Dell OptiPlex 9010

Dasharo version

v0.1.1

Dasharo Tools Suite version

No response

Test case ID

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Brief summary

Misleading Microcode Update Information in Dell OptiPlex Release Documentation

How reproducible

In the recent release notes for Dell OptiPlex, linked here Dell OptiPlex Release v0.11 , there appears to be a confusion regarding the microcode update for Ivy Bridge/Sandy Bridge (IVB/SNB) processors. The documentation states that the microcode version is dated 20240531, implying a future update. However, upon verification via the GitHub repository's commit history, the latest microcode update for these architectures is dated 20190514. This discrepancy is confusing the actual microcode enhancements delivered in this release, especially since it was confirmed that no recent updates were targeted for the IVB/SNB architectures.

It seems that when release notes are created, authors in a misleading way use the tag of the microcode repository instead of the real version of the binary included.

How to reproduce

1. Visit Dell OptiPlex's release documentation here .
2. Observe the microcode version (20240531) intended for IVB/SNB platforms
3. Verify the actual microcode updates by checking the relevant GitHub repository, which shows these platforms' latest microcode version as 20190514.

Expected behavior

The release documentation should accurately reflect the state of microcode updates, indicating no recent updates for IVB/SNB platforms if newer updates are indeed not available.

It would be best for you to clarify in the release notes and SBOM that version number (20240531) represents the microcode repository tag/version rather than a new update to the microcode for IVB/SNB processors. The documentation should also clearly note that these processors have not received new microcode updates since 20190514 to set the correct user expectations. That date should be clearly stated as a version of ucode used.

Actual behavior

The documentation suggests a future microcode update (20240531) which conflicts with the actual last update made (20190514) as seen on GitHub, thus misleading the user.

Screenshots

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Additional context

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Solutions you've tried

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