What is a Rootkit?
Malware Types
A rootkit is malware that embeds itself deep within an operating system (OS). The term is a derivative of the concept of rooting and a utility kit of hacking tools. Rooting is gaining total or full control over a system.
History
The history of rootkits goes back to the beginning of the
UNIX operating system, where rootkits were sets of modified
administrative tools. Originally designed to allow a program to take greater
control over an operating system’s functions when it fails or becomes
unresponsive, the technique has evolved and is used in a variety of ways.
One high-profile case occurred at Sony BMG Corporation, when rootkit
technology was used to provide copy protection technology on some of the
company’s CDs. Two major issues led to this being a complete debacle for
Sony: First, the software modified systems without the users’ approval.
Second, the software opened a security hole on Windows-based systems,
creating an exploitable vulnerability at the rootkit level. This led the Sony
case to be labeled as malware, which is the most common use of rootkits.
