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.
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 . . .
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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
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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.
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