Web News: New virus attacks AMD processors

THRiLL KiLL · 29-August-06, 08:24 AM

New virus attacks AMD processors

Quote:

Originally Posted by vnunet.com


	New virus attacks AMD processors Proof-of-concept code shows advanced attack vector Security researchers at Symantec have discovered a new proof-of-concept virus that targets processors rather than operating systems. The worm comes in two versions targeting 32-bit and 64-bit processors from AMD. Symantec refers to the online pests as w32.bounds and w64.bounds. Both viruses are rated as 'low level' threats. Although harmless at this stage, the viruses could be used to create malware that affects computers with disparate operating systems, according to Vincent Weafer, senior director at Symantec Security Response. "If I can get to the processor level, potentially I can start tying myself into the core hardware," he told vnunet.com. "I can potentially evade some of the kernel protection and user protection. There is an attraction to virus writers to get to the lowest level possible. "Once it runs, I've got pretty low level access to that system and I could do pretty well anything that I would want to do." But there is a big down side because different processors speak what could be seen as different Operating Code (opcode) languages. "Typically, going down to the opcode level is not effective because there are too many variants out there and you end up working on not too many machines," said Weafer. Full Story at vnunet.com

Nerdz · 29-August-06, 08:40 AM

I call shannagins. Why only AMD? Seems suspicious to me...Probably the evil Intel corporation trying to get rid of the competition

29-August-06, 08:40 AM		#2 (permalink)
Nerdz Sir Knight of Spamalot	Re: Web News: New virus attacks AMD processors I call shannagins. Why only AMD? Seems suspicious to me...Probably the evil Intel corporation trying to get rid of the competition

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