View Full Version : virus can effecting the BIOS
fire_mat99
25 Jul 2004, 8:16am
Anyone know if virus can effect the BIOS or motherboeard or CMOS chip
kryyst
25 Jul 2004, 11:39am
No. The only way to effect the bios/cmos is to flash it. The only way to flash it is to know the exact mobo/bios combo you are using and the version. So it's not going to happen with a virus.
fire_mat99
25 Jul 2004, 4:58pm
What about worm or Trojan ??
kryyst
26 Jul 2004, 12:25pm
No
kanezfan
26 Jul 2004, 2:49pm
actually you're wrong. there was a virus called chernobyl which was set to strike on the 26th of every month (I believe it was the 26th) which did take out your BIOS. this was like 4 years ago though. they don't need to know which bios you have, but you need to know which one you need when you flash yours. you can take any bios and flash it with anything, it just wont run.
Hmmm, i know that there are lots of programs that mobo manufactures use that allow you to OC your pc through software. I think Abit has one and Asus as well. so maybe a virus that uses this protocol/method/communication to mess with it that way. i dont know, but if you could massively and malicisously OC someones system on the fly, that seems like it could be fairly detrimental . . .
kanezfan
26 Jul 2004, 4:37pm
i think that all you have to do is write a virus that executes itself during the boot process, then all it has to do is rewrite a certain address space, which i'm certain is pretty much standard across all mobos, and you're good to go.
Disciple
26 Jul 2004, 5:20pm
Boot sector virus anyone? I remember everyone being paranoid of booting with a floppy in the drive wway back when because there may be a virus on it.
kryyst
26 Jul 2004, 7:48pm
Boot sector virus's effect the boot sector of your harddrive. That is different the affecting the bios. Not to mention almost every modern OS assuming it will allow you to access the boot sector will warn you well in advance of it doing so.
I did forget about the chernobyl virus. It could possibly affect the bios, but it was only on win95/98 machines and only on older mobo's. So the possibility is there but the likeliness of any modern machine being affected by it are more or less non-existant.
Take a look at this (http://www.internetweek.com/news/news0721-4.htm) link here.
kryyst
29 Jul 2004, 7:24pm
That's the chernobyl virus, also the date on that article is 1998.
Anyone know if virus can effect the BIOS or motherboeard or CMOS chip
That was the original question, There is no statement referring to a date issue. Now if he would have said in the past 2 years then it would be different.
Tmod
[worthwhile commentary]
omg forum darma!1
FIGHT!
[/worthwhile commentary]
so why dont people write virii that can do that sort of damage anymore. it seems like it would be fairly destructive. i guess because everyones hardware is different, but it seems that there should be some things that are the same. i guess like the boot sector virus.
avansant
29 Jul 2004, 10:56pm
fire_mat99, if something is wrong with your bios the chances are more then remote it was due to a virus. How about symptoms? Maybe someone can help you with more information... If your just asking to know then that is different... but for some reason I don't gather you just want to know.
so why dont people write virii that can do that sort of damage anymore.
Probably because it really is pretty easy to repair the bios or get it re-programmed. I have heard of viruses that will only clear the bios (Same as using the jumper on the motherboard) or one that will actually destroy the bios chip itself or just erasing all data on the chip.
No matter what all you need is a new programmed bios chip.
Tmod
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