Security technology company Symantec reported that it has analysed what it believes to be the first known threat to 64-bit Windows systems, a virus labelled W64.Rugrat.3344. While the virus is written to infect 64-bit Windows, according to Symantec, a true 64-bit machine is not required for this virus, as it can be run on a 32-bit machine using 64-bit simulation software. Most home and business systems deployed today are running on 32-bit platforms and are not affected by this threat.
Symantec said it was not expecting widespread copycats of W64.Rugrat.3344, since the affected assembly code requires fairly advanced technical knowledge. Symantec said W64.Rugrat.3344 was created in IA64 (Intel Architecture) assembly code and infects IA64 executable files, excluding .dll files. Security specialists reported that W64.Rugrat.3344 also infects files that are in the same folder as the virus, as well as all files within related subfolders.
The good news is that the virus W64.Rugrat.3344 is simply a proof of concept virus. Often this type of code would have been written by a 'white hat' hacker and passed to Symantec or other security company as a demonstration of potential danger. Therefore it is unlikely to be seen in the wild.
The 64-bit market is expected to grow rapidly. By the end of next year, most Intel chips, will be 64-bit capable, and virtually all of rival Advanced Micro Devices' processors will be 64-bit chips.
Symantec is currently updating its Norton AntiVirus product line to protect against W64.Rugrat.3344 and expects to have versions of the software armed to defeat the virus. The company earmarked the 64-bit virus as a Level one, or the least dangerous sort of threat ranked on its five-tiered ratings system, but warned users to update their virus protection systems as quickly as possible.
http://www.techtree.com/techtree/jsp/showstory.jsp?storyid=52738
Symantec said it was not expecting widespread copycats of W64.Rugrat.3344, since the affected assembly code requires fairly advanced technical knowledge. Symantec said W64.Rugrat.3344 was created in IA64 (Intel Architecture) assembly code and infects IA64 executable files, excluding .dll files. Security specialists reported that W64.Rugrat.3344 also infects files that are in the same folder as the virus, as well as all files within related subfolders.
The good news is that the virus W64.Rugrat.3344 is simply a proof of concept virus. Often this type of code would have been written by a 'white hat' hacker and passed to Symantec or other security company as a demonstration of potential danger. Therefore it is unlikely to be seen in the wild.
The 64-bit market is expected to grow rapidly. By the end of next year, most Intel chips, will be 64-bit capable, and virtually all of rival Advanced Micro Devices' processors will be 64-bit chips.
Symantec is currently updating its Norton AntiVirus product line to protect against W64.Rugrat.3344 and expects to have versions of the software armed to defeat the virus. The company earmarked the 64-bit virus as a Level one, or the least dangerous sort of threat ranked on its five-tiered ratings system, but warned users to update their virus protection systems as quickly as possible.
http://www.techtree.com/techtree/jsp/showstory.jsp?storyid=52738
