Replies to post #42996 on Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD)

[gollem]

wbmw,

But that still doesn't attempt to explain why a hacker would settle for a massive impact in 80% of PCs when they could go for 100%

If they want to have a massive impact they need to use buffer-overflow because that is the kind of virus that has a massive impact. The other kinds are simply lower impact. Don't tell me you're to dim to see that.

[Tim Fowler]

Because a massive impact on 80% of PCs (and maybe 95% of x86 servers) does more damage with less effort then a weaker attack on 100% of PC.

OT -

Can anyone explain what the "keep" link at the bottom of a message does?

Tim

[spokeshave]

wbmw: Re:But that still doesn't attempt to explain why a hacker would settle for a massive impact in 80% of PCs when they could go for 100%.

I thought it was pretty obvious, but I admit that I was not very explicit. Buffer-overflow viruses tend to do big damage - more so than many other exploits. Hence my point that virus writers will likely continue to write such code, despite some small percentage of computers being immune.

I hope that was clearer.

[UpNDown]

wbmw, on virus targets

But that still doesn't attempt to explain why a hacker would settle for a massive impact in 80% of PCs when they could go for 100%.

[Don't know why I'm getting into this discussion, but WTH...]

There are some hackers that are out there just for fun. There are others that want to trash your computer or steal your credit cards. Supposing you want to steal credit card numbers, why would you attempt to find a new attack point for a day-0 virus in an NX-protected system, when a non-NX-protected system security hole would be easier to find and would still reap enough credit cards to make you a happy hacker? Wouldn't you think that buyers of NX-protected systems might also be more careful in the rest of their security?

Security holes have to be searched for. They don't just pop up. Since there will be more on a non-NX system, that will be the preferred target.

When you play golf, do you look for your ball in the deep woods or near the edge of the fairway? Answer: don't look where you don't want to find it! (This assumes you hit a good provisional, for those golf rules nuts out there.)

[rlweitz]

But that still doesn't attempt to explain why a hacker would settle for a massive impact in 80% of PCs when they could go for 100%.

Assuming that only 50% of the PC owners are stupid enough to be tricked into manually running a virus, then attacking 80% of the PCs without NX protection would be more productive.