AMD Responds to Vista Driver Security Flaw

[W1zzard]

The market recently discovered a potential security vulnerability that could impact AMD’s Catalyst software package. After immediate investigation, AMD determined that a small section of code from one of the files in our installer package is potentially vulnerable.
The AMD plan is to provide a new ATI Catalyst package no later than Monday, Aug. 13, 2007, that resolves this vulnerability. We strongly recommend that desktop ATI Radeon graphics users update to Catalyst version 7.8 once it is available here (http://ati.amd.com/support/driver.html).

AMD and Microsoft are also investigating additional distribution channels for this update. This vulnerability was not exclusive to AMD.

[crow1001]

Good job i dont use Vista then, XP FTW..:rockout:

[KBD]

Is it neccesary to upgrade if using XP?

[OnBoard]

Good that I only use the display driver :)

[W1zzard]

Is it neccesary to upgrade if using XP?

no this affects only vista. the bug lets you load unsigned drivers.

[driver66]

Do you mean beta's and such W1zz?

Is that what you mean by unsigned? :toast:

[W1zzard]

unsigned driver is just a normal driver, anybody can make one and it will load fine on xp for example. a signed driver contains a digital signature which validates the originator, like ati. so you know where those files come from. also the digital signature makes sure the file has not been tampered with.
xp and vista 64-bit enforce driver signing, so it is not possible anymore to load unsigned drivers. this is a big pain for atitool for example because our driver is unsigned, so you cant use it on vista64. to get around this i had to buy a code signing certificate for a few hundred bucks a year. the company giving you the certificate verifies that you are a legal company etc.

[driver66]

Thanks for the clarification W1zz :toast:

[WarEagleAU]

Wow I had no idea. thanks for the update and info W1z.

[wiak]

unsigned driver is just a normal driver, anybody can make one and it will load fine on xp for example. a signed driver contains a digital signature which validates the originator, like ati. so you know where those files come from. also the digital signature makes sure the file has not been tampered with.
xp and vista 64-bit enforce driver signing, so it is not possible anymore to load unsigned drivers. this is a big pain for atitool for example because our driver is unsigned, so you cant use it on vista64. to get around this i had to buy a code signing certificate for a few hundred bucks a year. the company giving you the certificate verifies that you are a legal company etc.

isnt vista 32bit allowing unsigned drivers?, anyway good by AMD to release a Press Release

[Exceededgoku]

yeah 32 bit vista doesn't have driver signing

[Dippyskoodlez]

isnt vista 32bit allowing unsigned drivers?, anyway good by AMD to release a Press Release

Thats why he specified 64 ;)

[Paradox]

Still waiting on that update :o