News AMD trumpets Windows XP SP2 virus blocker

And sticks out tounge at Chipzilla at the same time. This from the Inq:

CHIP FIRM AMD said that now Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 is released, its enhanced virus protection using the NX flag can be enabled on all Athlon 64 processors. AMD said that the enabling of the NX flag will go some way to protect against viruses, worms and Trojans.

Microsoft rep Will Poole, said in AMD's press release: "The combination of Windows XP Services Pack 2 with advanced security technologies and improved hardware technology, as found in enhanced virus protection from AMD, is an important step in providing a multi-layered defence against many common online threats".

AMD's NX flag is enabled in Athlon 64 desktop and mobile chips and some code, particularly buffer overflow attacks, from damaging a system.

The concept of non-executable attributes is as old as the hills. As one reader points out, VaxVMS had it as part of its memory structure back in 1978.

Marty Seyer, an AMD representative, claimed his firm had taken a leadership role to create more secure computers.

Mobile Sempron processors will be able to use the NX flag too, said Seyer.

That's the full article, but avail yourself of this link. And in related news from the Inq:

WinXP SP2 prompts buy AMD, not Intel call