Due to a potential security vulnerability, Intel has disabled support of the DirectX 12 application programming interface in its recent graphics drivers for its 4thGeneration Core 'Haswell' processors.
Starting from Intel's graphics driver version 15.40.44.5107, applications that run exclusively on DirectX 12 API no longer work with GPUs integrated into Intel's 4th Generation Core processors as well as Celeron and Pentium chips powered by the Haswell architecture. The GPUs in question are based on Intel's Gen7 architecture.
Intel says that some of its integrated GPUs contain a security vulnerability that may allow escalation of privilege. In a bid to mitigate the weakness, Intel decided to disable DirectX 12 API support on Haswell platforms, which naturally means that DirectX 12 games will no longer work on Haswell-based systems that use integrated GPUs. Those who need to run DirectX 12 applications based on the said GPU are advised to downgrade the driver to version 15.40.42.5063 or older.
It is noteworthy that Gen7 architecture is also used in Intel's 3rd Generation Core 'Ivy Bridge' CPUs. However, Intel has not deprecated DirectX 12 support for systems running these chips or at least has not issued a document on the matter.
