Can Software Damage Hardware?

[chrstrbrts]

Hi,

Can software actually damage hardware?

Specifically, can malicious software e.g. viruses, worms, Trojan horses, etc. actually damage processors, ICs, gates, multiplexers, etc.?

Thanks.

 

[johnb35]

Simple answer is no.

 

[chrstrbrts]

Simple answer is no.

.....and the complicated answer?

 

[Geoff]

.....and the complicated answer?

I could see software such as overclocking tools damaging hardware. With those tools you can increase the voltage and speed of your CPU, memory, video card, etc., set incorrect values and some may cause damage or severely reduced life.

 

[johnb35]

There is no complicated answer. I just said simple answer was instead of getting into why software doesn't hurt hardware. Back in the day it was possible for an infection to kill a hard drive but haven't seen that in years.

Normal software would be a no but overclocking software could definately kill hardware but not a lot of people overclock and thats usually done in the bios not by overclocking software.

 

[ScottALot]

.....and the complicated answer?

Theoretically, it's very possible. The idea of software running on top of hardware in itself allows this. *HOWEVER* In practice, any halfway decent operating system/antivirus/recent piece of hardware won't allow any direct interfacing with the hardware without the user's consent. Most of them allow absolutely no control over certain hardware.

One example is disabling the failsafe on CPU's temperature probes. If a CPU gets to a high enough temperature, think 100C, then it automatically shuts the PC off to prevent damage. If this temperature went high enough, it would degrade the chip very quickly and essentially break the chip. However, on any chip manufactured after ~1999, this isn't even a possibility because the interface between the temperature failsafe and software was permanently disabled/removed.

Really, anything you can think of is theoretically possible from overvolting, undervolting, disabling fans, wrecking disk drives, etc... However, a *lot* of thought has been put into hardware design so that this simply cannot happen without exceptional circumstances.

So simple answer, no. Complicated answer, ehhh.... yeah? Answer that really matters unless you want to go into a field where you design hardware so it is not entirely software-controllable, no.

 

[chrstrbrts]

I could see software such as overclocking tools damaging hardware. With those tools you can increase the voltage and speed of your CPU, memory, video card, etc., set incorrect values and some may cause damage or severely reduced life.

Thanks.

I can see how increasing voltages may be harmful; you can destroy capacitors that way for example.

But how would too much speed damage the CPU? After all, the processor has no moving parts.

Thanks.

 

[chrstrbrts]

Is it possible to destroy transistors by forcing them to change their states too quickly?

Also, can you destroy gates by flipping them open and closed too quickly?

 

[ScottALot]

Thanks.

I can see how increasing voltages may be harmful; you can destroy capacitors that way for example.

But how would too much speed damage the CPU? After all, the processor has no moving parts.

Thanks. Is it possible to destroy transistors by forcing them to change their states too quickly?

Also, can you destroy gates by flipping them open and closed too quickly?

I'm not exactly sure, but I do know that every clock cycle (an opportunity for a transistor/gate to change state), a certain amount of power (wattage) is expended.
[SPECULATION] Maybe if the CPU clock speed is too high and the voltage too low, the transistors could be under-volted to the point where they don't make full transitions. I don't know what the repercussions of that would be. [/SPECULATION]
CPU's are designed with a TDP (thermal design power) in mind, which roughly equates to how much power it can take and keep stable. With ample voltage and too high of a clock speed, you could break this TDP if it weren't for limitations in the firmware and a slew of failsafes. If the TDP were broke, you'd ~literally~ fry the chip.

 

[chrstrbrts]

I'm not exactly sure, but I do know that every clock cycle (an opportunity for a transistor/gate to change state), a certain amount of power (wattage) is expended.
[SPECULATION] Maybe if the CPU clock speed is too high and the voltage too low, the transistors could be under-volted to the point where they don't make full transitions. I don't know what the repercussions of that would be. [/SPECULATION]
CPU's are designed with a TDP (thermal design power) in mind, which roughly equates to how much power it can take and keep stable. With ample voltage and too high of a clock speed, you could break this TDP if it weren't for limitations in the firmware and a slew of failsafes. If the TDP were broke, you'd ~literally~ fry the chip.

Ah! Of course, changing state requires energy. Too much energy too fast causes damage.