Rootkits - Faceoff: AMD vs. Joanna Rutkowska - eWeek Security Watch

Faceoff: AMD vs. Joanna Rutkowska

Written By
Ryan Naraine
Ryan Naraine
Nov 13, 2006
1 minute read
eWeek content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More

In response to my Q&A with Joanna Rutkowska, the stealth malware researcher who used AMD’s SVM/Pacifica virtualization technology to create malware (Blue Pill) that’s “100 percent undetectable,” AMD’s PR team wrote in to challenge those claims, arguing that the addition of AMD Virtualization to AMD processors does not increase the vulnerability of the operating system. I passed along AMD’s statement to Rutkowska, asking her to explain the research in more detail. The following is the verbatim claim/counterclaim between AMD (in bold) and Rutkowska:

eWeek Logo

eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site's focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2026 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.