Rootkits are one of the hardest forms of malware to identify; they operate at the kernel level and can hide behind programs or files.
Stuxnet was an infamous rootkit Malware designed to infiltrate industrial control systems used in Iran's nuclear facilities and steal industrial control systems data. Still, other types of rootkits can steal passwords and credit card data or delete files from users.
Disk or System Rootkit
Rootkits are programs designed to give hackers unauthorized root or administrator-level access to your computer, usually used with trojans and other types of malware to carry out attacks against it or steal its data. Rootkits may also help attackers establish botnets - networks of infected computers controlled remotely to perform spamming, cryptocurrency mining or denial-of-service attacks remotely.
Rootkit malware exploits vulnerabilities in your operating system to gain entry and hide from antivirus scanners. They're designed to remain hidden even after reboots or removal of other threats, in some cases, even changing security authorization privileges to stay present on the machine.
Rootkits typically target computer kernels, the core component for managing memory and device drivers. Malicious users use kernel rootkits to install backdoors that give them access and control over an operating system's functionality, potentially giving attackers entry without permission and altering software without your knowledge or approval.
Memory rootkits reside in random access memory (RAM). Because these rootkits don't reside within system files or hard drives, antivirus programs and anti-rootkit tools have difficulty recognizing their presence; however, if it persists, you may notice your computer has become slower than usual or other programs have suddenly stopped functioning correctly.
Virtualized rootkits use new technologies to combine bootkit functionality with kernel rootkit power for maximum cybercriminal control. A virtualized rootkit will boot up first before hiding itself within either the master boot record or volume boot record to avoid detection by malware scanners while providing more control than its kernel counterpart. These sophisticated rootkits may only be removed by reformatting and reinstalling operating system software from scratch - often leaving cybercriminals only the option of reformatting hard drives entirely and starting over from scratch!
Bootloader Toolkit
Bootloader rootkits target computers by attacking their bootloaders - the program responsible for loading operating systems onto main memory when power is applied - at startup.
Bootloader toolkits infiltrate master boot records or volume boot records code with software that gives attackers root privileges before their operating systems boot up!
These rootkits can be difficult to detect and remove as they hide within any operating system's kernel, the core module. As such, they bypass antivirus and malware scanning programs and can add software components, delete code from OS memory and change its functionality without detection or removal.
Cybercriminals often employ rootkits as an efficient means of stealing data, eavesdropping on users or gaining remote access. Rootkits can also be used to hide other forms of malware and create permanent backdoors which are hard to detect.
Rootkits often form part of an integrated threat package with other elements, including droppers and loaders. A dropper allows hackers to deliver the rootkit; perpetrators often distribute these drops via emails, shared folders or executable files hosted on infected websites. Hackers sometimes combine social engineering and brute force attacks with trying and guessing the system administrator password before installing a rootkit with a loader on a computer. Once in place, hackers use it for various malicious actions such as changing configuration settings, opening backdoor TCP ports and deleting or altering malware files.
Firmware rootkits are among the stealthiest types, as they are installed directly onto specific devices' hardware components, such as routers, network cards and hard drives. When these devices power on, these rootkits activate when users log onto them - making it harder to detect than other forms.
Protection against these hard-to-detect threats requires advanced endpoint protection solutions with advanced detection capabilities, such as artificial intelligence and telemetry, to detect kernel rootkits and other malicious software. With such tools, organizations can prevent infections from activating or executing, stopping infection processes altogether and protecting themselves from the risk.
RAM Rootkit
Rootkits can install malware programs onto a system, network or computer and threaten its functionality or the privacy of its users. Cybercriminals employ these malicious tools for data theft or remote access gain.
Memory rootkits, or RAM Rootkits, can be challenging to detect using antivirus or anti-rootkit software programs. Furthermore, these rootkits decrease PC performance as they consume system resources.
Rootkits often change the behaviour of popular applications like Word, Paint or Notepad without disrupting standard functionality, making it easier for hackers to steal information without being noticed by the user.
Rootkits are one of the most widespread types of malware, capable of installing other harmful programs and hiding other forms from security software. Furthermore, these rootkits may tamper with or deactivate specific programs on devices to allow criminals to steal data from them.
Sony BMG deployed rootkits in 2005 to combat music piracy; however, experts widely criticized these for violating consumer privacy and potentially damaging the systems they infiltrated.
Rootkits pose a grave danger when deployed against operating systems. Hackers can add their code into a kernel rootkit to alter how an OS operates, potentially giving hackers access to steal personal information, gain entry into systems, or even launch DDoS attacks.
Stuxnet, a malware worm believed to have been designed by the US and Israel to disrupt Iranian nuclear facilities in 2010, stands as one of the most infamous examples of rootkit infections. Other notable programs like Flame and Necurs, released for cyber espionage purposes in 2012, also fall into this category. Regularly updating your operating system and security software is the best way to avoid rootkit infections; however, smart online security practices may help lower your risk.
Other Rootkits
Rootkits are malicious software programs designed to gain administrative access to your computer while remaining hidden. Rootkits are harmful malware that can severely reduce system performance, put personal data at risk, assist attackers in hiding additional malware programs on your system, eavesdrop on activities, and create permanent backdoors into it even after installing an operating system update.
Malwarebytes Premium provides the ideal way to detect rootkits by scanning for any malicious file changes or file behaviour that indicates they may contain rootkits, including those hidden within standard applications that may make detection harder than expected. As such, regular scans across all systems should ensure protection from these dangerous threats.
Rootkits come in various forms, such as kernel mode, bootloader and memory rootkits.
Kernel-mode rootkits reside in an operating system's kernel space and gain complete control of computer operations without being detected by antivirus software. Bootloader rootkits infiltrate computer bootloaders to replace them with malicious versions, which activate before any operating system boots up - giving the rootkit access to run.
Memory rootkits hide in your RAM (random access memory), making them hard to detect and diminishing their performance by filling its space with malicious activities.
Cybercriminals utilize various tactics to gain computer entry using rootkits, including social engineering and infected downloads. This includes sending emails containing malicious links or documents and sharing pirated software such as BitTorrent that contains infected executables - Stuxnet is one of the best-known examples, explicitly designed to target industrial control systems and cause global havoc.