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Is the x86 Architecture Less Secure?

An anonymous reader asks: "Paul Murphy at CIO Today reports that a specific Windows buffer overflow vulnerability ' depends on the rigid stack-order execution and limited page protection inherent in the x86 architecture. If Windows ran on Risc, that vulnerability would still exist, but it would be a non-issue because the exploit opportunity would be more theoretical than practical.' And implies that other Windows vulnerabilities are actually facilitated by having an x86 chip." How does the x86 processor compare with other architectures when it comes to processor based vulnerabilities? How well have newer additions, like the Execute Disable Bit, helped in practical situations?

2 of 315 comments (clear)

  1. Happy Paul Murphy Day by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    What, is there only one tech writer in the world? (See article two or three down on SCO)

  2. 1993 called - they want their flamewar back by nosferatu-man · · Score: 5, Funny

    Thanks, Slashdot -- I actually read that boatload of ignorant gibberish, and now I'm measurably dumber than I was before I clicked the link. Keep this up and I too will be making specious arguments about "RISC" and "CISC".

    --
    To spur "enterprise Linux," Big Bang, the distributed two-phase commit.