What
Exactly Are Rootkits Anyway?
A rootkit is a furtive virus that conceals itself to bypass your computer’s security system. But,
other types of computer viruses do the same thing. What makes rootkits different?
Rootkits are particularly different because they are more effective – far more
effective at concealing themselves than other forms of virus. In fact, they
are purely designed for that. If you have a Mac and want to be sure it’s
protected, take a look at one of the best antivirus apps for Mac.
Key Point: The
strength of a virus or malware strongly depends on its ability to remain hidden
without detection.
Typical viruses
installed on your computer blatantly start wreaking havoc, but rootkits are
slowly undermining your PC secretly. The situation is comparable to parasitic
organisms. Some parasites are just more effective at concealing themselves than
others. Certain parasites are able to enter your body without activating your
immune system. They can lie dormant and muster up strength for years before
they unleash their fury. Likewise, rootkits are like dangerous parasites that
are clandestinely destroying your computer. And if you want your personal
details erased from Google and the rest of the internet, you have to check out
this review on how to remove your info from Google with DeleteMe.
What
are the Different Types of Rootkits?
Just as different
species of parasites cause different symptoms, not all rootkits have the same
effect. Some are worse than others – much worse in fact. To understand how this
works, it is good to have a basic understanding of hierarchal protection
domains or security levels. In general, your computer is made up of different
layers such as the hardware, kernel, and the operating system. The kernel is
basically the base of the operating system; it allows the operating system and
your computing device to interact. The operating system is the main program
(Linux, Mac, Windows, etc.). For protection on your Mac, the best free
antivirus software tools for Mac will keep your data safe.
User-level rootkits
hide themselves by using certain processes to trick or subvert your computer’s
security systems. They often use low-priority processes to trick your or
antivirus to think that they are harmless. Albeit difficult, they can still be
detected by using specialized anti-rootkit software. Kernel-level rootkits are
much more stealthy and dangerous. They cover themselves by adding their code to
portions of your operating system’s kernel. Since they are installed to the
kernel, they run before the operating system starts. They can even bypass
encryption and have unrestricted access to your computer. Removing such
kernel-level and boot-level rootkits is extremely difficult and even impossible
at times.
How
to Get Rid of Them and Keep Them Away
Like your body’s
immune system, your computer’s operating system is equipped with all of sorts
of defense mechanisms against unauthorized access. However, when your defense
system fails to protect you, you have to take action yourself. At times, you
must go out of your way to remove these surreptitious little critters.
Antivirus programs
alone are not sufficient to remove rootkits. You need programs that are
designed specifically for removing them. Kaspersky, Malwarebytes anti-rootkit, GMER,
Sophos Anti-Rootkit, TDSSKiller are common tools you can use to get rid
rootkits. But, while they may nullify or alleviate the effects of the rootkit,
there is no guarantee that they will be able to remove it. If you are not able
to remove the rootkit, your best option is to back up your files and reinstall
the operating system completely. This will completely destroy the rootkit. The
only rootkits that can survive a clean reinstall are BIOS-level rootkits. But,
they are extremely rare, because it takes too much time and effort to make
them.