Security features on AMD cpus?

[jon123]

Can somebody point me to a link on this?
ie what are they, which chips have it etc.
Looked at AMD's site but didn't get to far due to connection probs.
tia

[WSFuser]

try this link (http://www.amd.com/us-en/Weblets/0,,7832_11104_11105,00.html)

[jon123]

Thanks WS.
And from another kind fellow:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NX_bit

[bigc73542]

The articles only list AMD64 as having the extra protection, but the AMD Sempron is also fully interchangeable with the AMD64 and has the extra virus protection also. see screen shot of my comp.

[Infinity]

The best feature I am experiencing with my amd64 box is the Nidia HardWare Firewall (this evening I'll post some screenies about this hardware Firewall). and this has an indirect link to the bufferoverflow protection that amd64 offers from within the box.

If, and only if you have an NForce 4 mobo you can install the NetworkAccess Manager (Active Armor and Nvidia Firewall).

I has outbound protection too (more advanced then the original from Windows) and it has some process protection capacities (a limited ProcessGuard so to speak) and it is called ActiveArmor
http://www.nvidia.com/object/security.html
-{ Quote: "ActiveArmor Firewall supports stateless and stateful inspection, Web-based management, pre-defined security profiles, port block filtering, remote administration, and provides an easy-to-use set-up wizard. In addition, ActiveArmor Firewall has anti-hacking features such as anti-IP-spoofing, anti-sniffing, anti-ARP-cache-poisoning, and anti-DHCP server-important security controls for corporate network environments. In a corporate setting, an end-point firewall (such as a desktop firewall) with anti-hacking capabilities can reduce the internally originated security breaches, and can inhibit desktops from generating unauthorized traffic. The result is improved overall security, with reduced requirements from the IT staff. " }-

I am using my Router, this Nvidia Firewall with AA, backed up with GSS .. computer is fast as hell (this Nvidia Firewall does consume 8mb in memory but no cpu resources at all (becasue this is a feature built in from the AMD chip - don't ask me how it is possible lol)
and I read a while ago that they are currently working on an update with some extra features making AA even more PG (Full) lookalike and that build in from within the cpu/chip.
grtz

[Infinity]

I made a mistake (nothing new about that) cause those platforms are supported by Nvidia regarding Hardware Firewall and AA

NVIDIA Hardware (PC)
nForce2 Gigabit MCP
nForce3 250 Gigabit
nForce3 Ultra
nForce3 250
Professional
nForce4 nForce 4 Ultra
nForce 4 SLI
NVIDIA nForce4 SLI INTEL

[WSFuser]

bigc, which sempron do u have? afaik, only K8-based semprons have EVP/AMD64 tech.

[bigc73542]

.....

[Infinity]

@ bigc73542

which chipset are you using? are you using nvidia firewall and AA too?

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,
I must disagree on the firewall issue.
It gives a lot of BSODs and cannot handle p2p traffic, eating page file within 10-12 hours and then defragmenting the disk by increasing it on and on.
Mrk

[bigc73542]

-{ Quote: "@ bigc73542

which chipset are you using? are you using nvidia firewall and AA too?" }-



.....

[WSFuser]

i must agree with Mrkvonic, tho at least the firewall is working for someone.

and to add to ur statement bigc, the newer semprons with EVP are sometimes referred to as "Sempron 64"

[Infinity]

:-* -{ Quote: "Hello,
I must disagree on the firewall issue.
It gives a lot of BSODs and cannot handle p2p traffic, eating page file within 10-12 hours and then defragmenting the disk by increasing it on and on.
Mrk" }-


Hi Mrkvonic and WSFUser,

If I must be complete in my responses @ the moment then I have to say that I had a lot of problems too till half a year ago when MSI finaly decided to update their latest NVIDIA nForce4 System Drivers to V4.82 .. me too had given up ... :ouch: couldn't use Tiny Firewall in cooperation with Nfoce Firewall, couldn't use GSS without bsod's ... but till a few month now everything is pretty cool .. still no Tiny2005 hence the incompatability (don't ask me how or why :) .. )
-{ Quote: "For Win200/XP system
• Ethernet NRM driver version 4.82 (WHQL)" }-
http://www.msi.com.tw/program/products/mainboard/mbd/pro_mbd_detail.php?UID=641

-{ Quote: "cannot handle p2p traffic, eating page file within 10-12 hours and then defragmenting the disk by increasing it on and on." }-

I'm a fervent Emule user (eDonkey2000-ED2K & Kademlia) + kazaa lite is running daily with Nvidia Firewall active :-\ but 6 months ago this was NOT possible ... no pagefile issues (never had that btw so no fragmenting issues either...)

Behind my router and outbound protected with GSS (limited) and Nvidia I have to say that this is the first time that I don't feel like I need a Software Firewall :thumb:

I'm sorry you had those issues but maybe it is time to try their latest build?

I cannot use the Original Nvidia Drivers cause it is too buggy but the drivers made by the company (MSI) who has build my Motherboard well .. I do not have any probs at all using them. so maybe you have those probs cause you used the original Nvidia's one ...
Take care,
Inf.

[Infinity]

The Screenies I promised, those are the ones from the latest release, imho the most stable one:

Manual Rule Creating with Active Armor

[Infinity]

AntiHacking Features

[Infinity]

Web Based Control Panel

[Infinity]

Ethernet Driver Settings

[Infinity]

OUTBOUND CONTROL DETAILED

[Infinity]

LOGGING SETTINGS

[Infinity]

Fast Switching of Security Profiles

[Infinity]

I like this GUI, the implementation into the OS, the minimal resource usage and the security provided (not that good with leaktests - being stealthed is not hard to achieve behind a router - when I unplug my router and use the cable instead - my setup is definately stealthed :) ) .. leaktests are managed / controled through other programs, and I like the fact that this all is controled from within the cpu ...

On their own forum, (http://forums.nvidia.com/) there are a lot of posts about members experiencing bsods and (fatal) errors even with this latest release so ... probs this has to do with other kernel applications (that's my experience anyway) interfering with the firewall ... or like I said: just use the drivers made by your motherboard manufacturer :)

Cheers,

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,
I have not tried the latest drivers. And my mobo is not MSI.
And I will not. I tend to be anal retentitive and once bad an experience always bad an experience. I do not like the idea of a possibility of flashing the drivers only to screw up on another level - with BSOD and such.
There are many other simpler and more stable options readily available. I like the other features that have been made available, like some monitoring and diagnostic features, cool 'n' quiet cpu etc, but this firewall is simply . . . not needed. It will give me what any software firewall does, at the expense of muc extra pain, potential troubles and a bad aftertaste of the first experience that can easily turn into paranoia.
Imagine I get a BSOD for another reason - how can I be sure this is not related to the mobo drivers? You see my dilemma. It means bringing in a big fat uncertainty factor into the formula. I like things working smoothly and flawlessly and eliminating problems - or at least isolating them. And so, using this firewall in its current incarnation is not for me. When I get yet another pc, I might test it, till then ...
Mrk

P.S. Made a quick visit to their forum. Just seeing all those posts makes me despair. I can recall a few occasions I had problems with this and that and then posting in a forum, hoping for an answer. The waiting is a killer. The uncertainties burn the lining on your stomach . . . I fervently try to avoid incompatibilities and strange phenomena in pc world as much as I can. Just recall my thread with google error I had with firefox and opera and not with IE. I almost smashed the pc with a hammer. I like challenges, but I hate weird things.

[Infinity]

Yes, if you are looking at it like that then you're right .. I wouldn't use any critical software either if it caused bsod's or something like that.

lucky me it is stable with me then :)

[WSFuser]

ive only tried the reference nvidia drivers, which have not been updated in a while for the nforce4 sli chipset.

i dont get drivers from teh ASUS site and i assume most other people also use the reference drivers.

when i tried the nvidia firewall, it would work fine if emule wasnt running (utorrent didnt exist then, i think) and it wouldnt work along side outpost pro either.

lastly, a search on google reveals numerous forum threads on "nvidia firewall and p2p". its rarely good news.

[Stem]

I have 2 systems with the nForce4 chipsets, A8N-SLI delux / A8N-SLI SE, the nVidia firewall does not work correctly on either. I have no BSOD or driver conflicts, it is just the firewall will not filter outbound packets. What I mean by this is, that I set up a custom profile, and purge all the tcp/ip rules, and set inbound/outbound to block by default. This of course blocks all in/out packets, I then add a rule to allow outbound dns-udp to my router, but this then allows all outbound tcp/ip traffic.