BIOS F.61 upgrade

[togfnh]

I received a Routine Alert from HP stating that there was a BIOS F.61 update available for select ProBooks.  My ProBook 4525s was included in the included list.  The details stated the upgrade "Improved the UEFI EDK2 security" and "HP strongly recommends transitioning to this updated BIOS version." 

When I clicked on the link for my laptop and selected my OS (Windows 7 Pro 32), then clicked on BIOS, what showed was F.60 Rev.A, 30 NOV 2015. 

Where do I find BIOS F.61?

Thanks

[webber60]

Same for me. ProBook 4540s and not a sign of new BIOS on the download page. Scam?

[SgtSQL]

HP ProBook 4530s:

Same for me. Received alert (which included my model in the release notes) recommending updating the BIOS to F.61 but the BIOS update is not available.

Routine Product Change Notification - May 18 2016 System BIOS Update F.61 for select EliteBooks and ProBooks (c05143540)   Products: HP ProBook Notebook PCs, HP EliteBook Tablets, HP EliteBook Notebook PCs Description: EliteBook 8760w:http://h20566.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/public/psi/home/?sp4ts.oid=5071180

[togfnh · Accepted solution]

Thanks webber60 and SgtSQL -- it's nice to know I'm not alone. 

I am disappointed HP didn't respond to this, either to say the original e-mail  Routine Alert was in error, or answering the question of where the correct BIOS upgrade could be found, or to ask us to wait for it to be posted. 

I just followed the link in the Routine Alert again, clicking through the many pages, and found there is a new BIOS upgrade available; not the F.61 mentioned, but F.62 Rev.A, dated 3 Jun 2016.  I got no further notification from HP; I just went and looked again. 

There are other questions about BIOS upgrades on the forum, with answers from HP generally recommending not upgrading unless it is to fix a specific problem.  In this case, I am going to upgrde to the new F.62 Rev.A BIOS due to the Routine Alert's strong recommendation mentioning improved security. 

Thanks to HP for making the BIOS upgrade available

[webber60]

Thanks for reply. There's still no new BIOS for my laptop model. So I'd better wait until it arrives. Remember, they said it wouldn't be possible to roll back to previous version of BIOS after update. I wouldn't take the risk.

[SgtSQL]

Thanks for the reply. For the ProBook 4530s, F.60 is still the most current update available.

@HPSupport responded to me after I posted on Twitter. It wasn't particularly helpful...it said the E-mail alert had been sent in error, but it didn't explain whether the ProBook 4530s would get a future BIOS update. It was nice that they responded though.

I will keep checking. I was excited about UEFI when it came out, but I now fear it just opens up another attack vector, and that when OEM's stop updating the BIOS for particular models, it will render an otherwise operational piece of hardware insecure for internet use.

If HP is publishing this UEFI BIOS update for security purposes, I wonder if a vulnerability has either been privately disclosed, or has been found being exploited in the wild.

This explanation of how UEFI can be exploited scares me:

https://www.mitre.org/sites/default/files/publications/14-2221-extreme-escalation-presentation.pdf

There ain't no antivirus at boot time.