Re: Can a computer virus kill the CPU?

Any hardware that can be damaged by software is defective or is a
specialty machine not for layman use. It was once possible to damage
some monitors by outputting wrong signals from a video controller. But
that was a design defect. No software can damage hardware. Any
processor that would overheat (a slow temperature increase) due to
excessive 'software' commands is throttled or turned off by existing
hardware. This applies to all Intel CPUs even back to 486s and to
newer motherboards for AMD processors.

I have seen many claims. Amazing how many 'computer experts' don't
even know how electricity works. How many don't even know of thermal
protection standard in so many integrated circuits. Many self
proclaimed 'computer experts' will insist they need not know how
electricity works. Therefore urban myths are easily promoted.

Hardware that can be damaged by software is defective by design. And
yet some 'computer experts' also insist that a disk drive can be
destroyed by software. Amazing is how they know this must be true -
without any idea how software talks to disk drives.

mike4ty4@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
Consider a hypothetical computer virus that would cause a CPU to
overheat and burn up. Is this possible? Is it possible, through
software, to get a CPU to overclock so far and the cooling fans to shut
off completely, until it bursts? I've heard that modern CPUs can be
overclocked through the BIOS, so couldn't a virus theoretically access
this and nuke the system? Worst case scenario the thing actually
catches fire. I've seen various virus hoaxes that talk about computer
viruses damaging hardware, and various FAQs and reports talking about
computer viruses not being able to do that and that any warning
discussing a virus proporting to do such a thing is a hoax. But now I'm
not so sure anymore, considering the ominous discovery in the BIOS...

Is it possible that we may see such a virus or worm in the future?
Should BIOS overclocking be removed from computers?

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Can a computer virus kill the CPU?
    ... that was a design defect. ... No software can damage hardware. ... proclaimed 'computer experts' will insist they need not know how ...
    (comp.security.misc)
  • Re: Can a computer virus kill the CPU?
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    (comp.security.misc)
  • Re: Can a computer virus kill the CPU?
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    (comp.security.misc)
  • Re: Turn on memory checking in bios
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    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Can a computer virus kill the CPU?
    ... often means old and well proven hardware. ... astronaut's laptop is far more powerful than all Shuttle computers ... frequency could cause monitor damage. ... We also built customized equipment where a software bug could cause ...
    (comp.security.misc)