AMD "virus" is no AMD virus at all

AN UNEXPECTED SIDE-EFFECT OF rebranding X86-64 as AMD64 has probably taken the manufacturer by surprise.

In the last couple of months, virus experts have released statements about two new attacks that target x86-64-based Windows that have caused widespread panic and confusion in the press about what exactly was going on, and have landed on AMD's doormat, rather unjustifiably.

Well, we hope that our readers will be smart enough to see through the stupid bomb's cloud to the truth below: the viruses might affect Windows AMD64 version, but not because of any chip-level AMD weakness, rather because the virus is attacking Windows 64-bit x86 version, just not the Itanium IA64 version.

Let's say that again - virus scanner maker states "new virus affects Windows (AMD64)", and the press reports "AMD processors affected by new virus", when in reality, all Celeron Ds, Pentium Ds, Core 2 Duos running in 64-bit mode also suffer the same bug. Daamit.

Here comes the science: take a look at the following page that describes the latest virus: http://msmvps.com/blogs/harrywaldron/archive/2006/08/10/107293.aspx

You'll notice two things. One: the virus affects 32-bit Windows too - shucks, there goes the AMD-only problem! Two: its 64-bit version mentions nothing about any Athlon-related vulnerability; this is quite simply a virus that affects Windows x86-64 in both Intel and AMD forms.

So there you go - for all complaints, visit your nearest Vole, as usual! µ