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- Posts
- 869
- OS
- Windows11 23H2 (OS Build 22631.2428)
This was sent to me by one of my teachers awhile back, thought you guys might like to read it or maybe not !
For all intents and purposes, hardware such as the video card, RAM, CPU and motherboard can not get infected. It is the software that runs/communicates with the hardware that can be infected. For the most part, hardware can NOT be infected.
It was mentioned that there is a RootKit that can compromise the system BIOS (Basic Input Output System). The BIOS is a set of low-level routines that works as middle-ware that allows any Operating System to communicate and work with the hardware of the motherboard. In the past the best that a malware could do is erase the BIOS or corrupt it. Recently, in China. a RootKit (which is a trojan and not a virus) was found to replace the the factory BIOS with a malicious BIOS. However, this is not easily accomplished as if a mistake is made it would leave the computer incapable of booting into the OS. Until last year, this was mostly a science experiment and nothing capable was seen "in the wild". As of this year we now know it is a possibility but an extremely remote possibility so one can generally discount that as a possibility.
There are basically two major classes of malware that one does have to be concerned with; viruses and trojans. The term virus is widely misused. most think all malware are viruses. Not true. The overarching concept of malicious software is "malware" for Malicious Software. All viruses are malware but not all malware are viruses. Viruses are a class of malware that is able to "self replicate" or spread on its own means and without intervention. Trojans are malware that needs assistance to be spread. The vast majority of malware seen Today are trojans.
For all intents and purposes, hardware such as the video card, RAM, CPU and motherboard can not get infected. It is the software that runs/communicates with the hardware that can be infected. For the most part, hardware can NOT be infected.
It was mentioned that there is a RootKit that can compromise the system BIOS (Basic Input Output System). The BIOS is a set of low-level routines that works as middle-ware that allows any Operating System to communicate and work with the hardware of the motherboard. In the past the best that a malware could do is erase the BIOS or corrupt it. Recently, in China. a RootKit (which is a trojan and not a virus) was found to replace the the factory BIOS with a malicious BIOS. However, this is not easily accomplished as if a mistake is made it would leave the computer incapable of booting into the OS. Until last year, this was mostly a science experiment and nothing capable was seen "in the wild". As of this year we now know it is a possibility but an extremely remote possibility so one can generally discount that as a possibility.
There are basically two major classes of malware that one does have to be concerned with; viruses and trojans. The term virus is widely misused. most think all malware are viruses. Not true. The overarching concept of malicious software is "malware" for Malicious Software. All viruses are malware but not all malware are viruses. Viruses are a class of malware that is able to "self replicate" or spread on its own means and without intervention. Trojans are malware that needs assistance to be spread. The vast majority of malware seen Today are trojans.
My Computer
System One
-
- OS
- Windows11 23H2 (OS Build 22631.2428)
- Computer type
- PC/Desktop
- Manufacturer/Model
- HP HP ENVY TE01
- CPU
- 2.90 gigahertz Intel Core i7-10700
- Motherboard
- Board: HP 8767 A (SMVB)
- Memory
- 16214 Megabytes Usable Installed Memor
- Hard Drives
- 1511.52 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
1418.15 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space
- Keyboard
- Logitech wireless
- Mouse
- M 185 wireless
- Internet Speed
- 12 ms Jitter 8 ms Download 10.5 Mbps Upload 1.7
- Browser
- Edge & FF
- Antivirus
- Windows Defender