Rootkits

[Scarecrow Man]

A root kit is a set of tools used by an intruder after cracking a computer system. These tools can help the attacker maintain his or her access to the system and use it for malicious purposes. Root kits are known to exist for a variety of operating systems such as Linux, Solaris, and versions of Microsoft Windows.

http://www.rootkit.com/

http://research.microsoft.com/rootkit/

F-Secure BlackLight Rootkit Elimination Technology detects objects that are hidden from users and security tools and offers the user an option to remove them. The main purpose is to fight rootkits and all kinds of malware that use rootkits. The F-Secure BlackLight Rootkit Elimination Technology works by examining the system at a deep level. This enables BlackLight to detect objects that are hidden from the user and security software.

What are the key benefits of F-Secure BlackLight Rootkit Elimination Technology?

* F-Secure BlackLight can detect and eliminate active rootkits from the computer. Traditional antivirus scanners can't detect active rootkits.

* On a normal system F-Secure BlackLight does not confront the user with a long list of suspected objects. This makes F-Secure BlackLight useful even for non-technical users.

* F-Secure BlackLight Rootkit Elimination Technology can be used in the background during normal system operation. Other available scanners require a reboot during scan or may produce false positives if the system is used during scanning.

BlackLight is in BETA until Jan. 1st 2006

http://www.f-secure.com/blacklight/

[CurlyWhirly]

I have heard of these Rootkits and I am curious if they are a big problem or perhaps they haven't become widespread yet?

It is difficult to know I expect, as they are virtually invisible unless you are running a Rootkit detector :o

[dadyassa]

What sort of system would they want to take over, surely not mine ?

[Scarecrow Man]

I have heard of these Rootkits and I am curious if they are a big problem or perhaps they haven't become widespread yet?

It is difficult to know I expect, as they are virtually invisible unless you are running a Rootkit detector :o

That's just it. They are invisible. Rootkits are hidden from the Windows API. This means they are virtually invisible to any anit-virus program.

What sort of system would they want to take over, surely not mine ?

If you are using Windows, Linux or Solaris, then yes they want to take you over.

EDIT: http://www.rootkit.nl/ - Rootkit detection for UNIX based machines

Rootkits have been around for a long time, they have been used mostly by spyware companies to infect unpatched machines. (remember Powerless' Honey Monkey...? That was a rootkit hack) For more info, Google it!