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Author Topic: Free Antivirus Download Roots Out Rootkits  (Read 11745 times)

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honvetops

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    Free Antivirus Download Roots Out Rootkits
    « on: April 11, 2007, 03:13:17 AM »
    Rootkits have become a severe threat in comparison to traditional malware because they are often overlooked by conventional antivirus systems. They execute by embedding applications within the operating system, so it is important to correctly distinguish between malicious rootkits and legitimately hidden processes.

    Grisoft Software, the developer of AVG Internet security Barracuda Spam Firewall Free Eval Unit - Click Here products, introduced Tuesday a free product aimed at detecting and removing rootkits.

    Rootkits, a specific malware type which hides in other applications or in a computer's operating system Forge ahead and stay on budget with simple to install HP server technology. kernel, allow malicious applications to collect passwords and sensitive data from the infected computer without user knowledge. This collected personal information can be used to create spam from the infected computer as well as other criminal activities.

    "Rootkits are the latest and greatest threat [to computer security]. We felt it was important to develop this free product now. We have a reputation for doing this," Richard Carlson, managing director of Grisoft, told TechNewsWorld.

    Rootkit Threat

    Rootkits have become a severe threat in comparison to traditional malware because conventional antivirus systems often miss the hidden rootkit. They execute by embedding applications within the operating system, which is also an essential application to many necessary programs including antivirus protection, so it is important to correctly distinguish between malicious rootkits and legitimately hidden processes.

    Grisoft conducted six months of open beta program testing to ensure AVG Anti-Rootkit is able to protect users and operating systems without the confusion and hassle of false alarms.

    Rootkits were originally used by hackers to cover their tracks after unauthorized access to computers. Today, these techniques have been redesigned in order to mask the presence of malicious software used to gather and exploit personal information such as credit card numbers and social security numbers, creating a serious threat to users.

    "Rootkits are computer code that attempt to hide their actions and processes, making the job of detecting the code and the harmful processes very difficult," explained Larry Bridwell, vice president of Global Security Strategies for Grisoft. "AVG Anti-Rootkit is developed to detect and destroy rootkits effectively, without bothering users with false alarms."

    How It Works   

    Users must download the stand-alone rootkit detection software to run locally on their computers. It does not make sense to run this type of operation from a Web application, said Carlson.

    Grisoft's root kit detection application compares a user's Windows kernel with detailed snapshops of uninfected systems. If anomalies are detected, the software makes changes to correct the problems.

    "We take a snapshot of how the file system on a computer should look. The devil is in the details with this process. It has taken us a lot of time to develop a baseline model," said Carlson. "Once we identify what should be present, we can map out the results to compare them to the user's system."

    The baseline model is able to show various conditions Grisoft engineers have found to be affected by rootkit installations, said Carlson. Regular updates of the detection engine are needed to keep current with the frequent changes to the Windows kernel and other system files that Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) Free 30-Day Trial. Seamlessly Integrate UNIX & Linux systems with Active Directory. Latest News about Microsoft issues.

    Full Article

    http://www.technewsworld.com/story/bY5Yh9sE4IQq7s/Free-Antivirus-Download-Roots-Out-Rootkits.xhtml
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    unlovedwarrior



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      Re: Free Antivirus Download Roots Out Rootkits
      « Reply #1 on: April 11, 2007, 02:04:19 PM »
      thnx for the info