First 64-Bit Malware for Windows Appears

Written By
Larry Seltzer
Larry Seltzer
Published: May 27, 2004
Updated: Feb 2, 2021
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

Symantec Security Response has revealed that it has analyzed the first 64-bit Windows attack code.

The attack is a proof of concept with no payload. Named W64.Rugrat.3344 by Symantec, its very old-fashioned in technique. When executed it infects all 64-bit executable files, excluding .DLL files, in the directory from which it was executed, and all subdirectories, and then exits.

Rugrat will not execute on conventional 32-bit Windows systems nor will it infect 32-bit Windows executables. The worm is written in Intel Corp. 64-bit assembly language.

“Currently, there isnt a broad penetration of 64-bit systems. Most home and business systems deployed today are running on 32-bit platforms and are not affected by this threat,” said Vincent Weafer, senior director of Symantec Security Response. “At this time, we are not expecting widespread copycats, since assembly code requires advanced technical knowledge.”

Check out eWEEK.coms Security Center at http://security.eweek.com for the latest security news, reviews and analysis.

Be sure to add our eWEEK.com developer and Web services news feed to your RSS newsreader or My Yahoo page

Larry Seltzer

Larry Seltzer

Content Writer

Larry Seltzer has been writing software for and English about computers ever since—,much to his own amazement— He was one of the authors of NPL and NPL-R, fourth-generation languages for microcomputers by the now-defunct DeskTop Software Corporation. (Larry is sad to find absolutely no hits on any of these +products on Google.) His work at Desktop Software included programming the UCSD p-System, a virtual machine-based operating system with portable binaries that pre-dated Java by more than 10 years.For several years, he wrote corporate software for Mathematica Policy Research (they're still in business!) and Chase Econometrics (not so lucky) before being forcibly thrown into the consulting market. He bummed around the Philadelphia consulting and contract-programming scenes for a year or two before taking a job at NSTL (National Software Testing Labs) developing product tests and managing contract testing for the computer industry, governments and publication.In 1991 Larry moved to Massachusetts to become Technical Director of PC Week Labs (now eWeek Labs). He moved within Ziff Davis to New York in 1994 to run testing at Windows Sources. In 1995, he became Technical Director for Internet product testing at PC Magazine and stayed there till 1998.Since then, he has been writing for numerous other publications, including Fortune Small Business, Windows 2000 Magazine (now Windows and .NET Magazine), ZDNet and Sam Whitmore's Media Survey.

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.