New virus stopping 'chip'

[Alucard]

Researchers in Japan have developed a microchip that blocks computer viruses before they enter PCs, an advance that could change how security software is used.

Chips in routers can stop viruses without slowing down programmes running on computers the way security software does, according to researcher Eiichi Takahashi at the government-funded National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology.

But the chips need to be rewritable so they can be updated with online information about new viruses, and that creates a problem, because rewritable chips now can recognise only a few hundred viruses each.

This makes an effective antivirus chip system prohibitively expensive, while open source software recognises roughly 70,000 viruses, Takahashi said.

"To translate the technology into profits, you would need global sales channels to cut prices and make the technology affordable for consumers," Nikko Citigroup analyst Kengo Nagahashi said.

The technology poses no threat to security software companies Trend Micro Inc. or Symantec Corp., he said.

Takahashi said he hopes to win a government grant to develop in three to five years a security chip that can recognise more viruses, for mass production by a Japanese company like Trend Micro, when key patents for programmable chips, held by Xilinx Inc. and Altera Corp., expire.

The chips also can block viruses from entering mobile phones, personal digital assistants and online refrigerators, microwave ovens, and other appliances, as well as PCs, Takahashi said.

"We hope the chips will be used in tandem with existing security software," he said. "You can never have too many different kinds of locks on the door."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/cmp/20061128/tc_cmp/196500097

This is super cool. Only bad thing is we wont see it for another decade which really sucks.

[Catharsis]

Originally Posted by Alucard

http://news.yahoo.com/s/cmp/20061128/tc_cmp/196500097

This is super cool. Only bad thing is we wont see it for another decade which really sucks.

I bet 5 bucks that some 45 year old virgin is awlready working on an exploit

[spider-prime]

...... am not

[da missinlink]

Since when did you get younger Spider?

[AmishNazi]

Or you could just run a secure OS. Wait no you can't because MS crippled openGL so people had to have Windows PC's for games

[Catharsis]

The only reason the other OS's are more secure is becouse they are less populer and no one cares enough about them to look for backdoors and exploits.

[Reality]

Its hardly the only reason but its no doubt one of the biggest. There was one mac Trojan someone tried to make 4 years ago. But OS X's security is so much tighter then Windows that the only way to get the Trojan to work by doing 5-6 steps for it. And of course once Apple found out about it there was a update the next day to destroy everything that made it possible.

[fruitsofherwomb]

Not getting a virus or trogan isn't that hard. Just get a good antivirus program and have common sense.

[Catharsis]

Agreed. I use free antivirus and spyware protection and my pc is always clean. I think the biggest issue is not that windows is vulnerable, its that the people using windows are so retarded. You can expect kids and old ladys to not get virus's. Hell my brother and stebfather were responsible for 2 reformats per year from there damn commit cursor and poker website addictions. Idiots.

Teach the people whats safe and there wouldent be any probs.

[fruitsofherwomb]

AVG FTW!

[FoolishOne9k2]

i dont use any antivirus.... just dont go to porn, and watch your downloads.

isnt making these chips reprogrammable make themselves prone to viruses?

[Nano Fox]

AVG FTL! no longer free those buggers! WHY!!??