Intel not working on hardware-based antivirus

When Intel Corp. acquired antivirus software company McAfee many believed that the world's largest maker of chips will embed certain exclusive security algorithms directly into its chips, something that will boost competitive qualities of Intel's processors and reduce other software and semiconductor companies' abilities to compete. Even though McAfee does not deny that there will be unique security technologies, there will be no hardware-based antiviral programs.

"We are not embedding anything into the silicon. What we are doing is utilizing features that exist today with the technologies McAfee has to secure the stack in a way that has never been done before. [...] What people do not realize is Intel has already innovated security capabilities into the hardware. That’s already shipping. Intel has antitheft built into their technologies today," said David DeWalt, chief executive officer of McAfee, in an interview with Forbes.