A rootkit is a collection of software that is used by the hacker and specially designed for doing malicious attacks like malware attacks to gain control by infecting its target user or network. There are different types of Methods by which hackers install rootkits on the target user’s computer.
Methods:
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Methods |
Description |
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Social Engineering |
The primary goal of social engineering is to exploit human weaknesses and psychology to gain access to malware, systems for stealing data, personal information, and more of the user because it is easy to exploit the natural trustworthiness of their victims. |
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Phishing Attacks |
A phishing attack is an attack in which a hacker sends a fraud or malicious message specifically designed to trick a target. Through phishing attacks, hackers spread ransomware into systems, bypassing firewalls and taking out sensitive information or taking control of systems. |
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Downloadable software |
Hackers hide malware in various unknown files such as archive files (.zip, .rar), etc. When a target user opens this malicious file, malwares automatically enters the system and takes control of the system. |
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Software vulnerability |
vulnerabilities in an application that compromise the security of the application are called application vulnerabilities. Hackers exploit this vulnerability by bypassing firewalls. |
Types of Rootkits
Different Types of Rootkits are Explained Below:
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Different Types of Rootkits in cyber security |
Description |
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Firmware Rootkits |
Firmware is software that provides instructions and commands to allow hardware to work and communicate with the software running on the system. Firmware rootkits allow hackers to easily install malware on a memory chip on a target computer’s motherboard, infect the target computer’s hard drive or system BIOS, and intercept data written to the hard drive. |
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Application Rootkits |
Hackers use application rootkits to replace the target user’s computer’s default files with rootkit files that disrupt the working of default applications. The hacker can gain access to the computer system whenever the target user opens the infected application. It is difficult to detect a rootkit in an application because the infected application looks and works fine. |
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Memory Rootkits |
Memory is the most important element in a computer system because without it, the computer cannot perform simple tasks. In a memory rootkit, the hacker hides the rootkit in the RAM of the target user’s computer, which makes it easy for the hacker to perform malicious activities in the background, but this rootkit has a short lifespan because the RAM is a volatile memory due to which it lost all its data when the power is turned off but sometimes additional actions are required to get rid of memory rootkit. |
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Boot-loader Rootkits |
A bootloader control is a program that runs before the operating system runs. The job of the boot-loader is to start the operating system by putting it into memory. Hackers use boot-loader rootkits to replace the legitimate boot-loader of the target user’s computer with the hacked boot-loader. This means that the rootkit is activated even before your computer’s operating system starts. |
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Kernel mode Rootkits |
The kernel is the core component of the operating system, which facilitates the interaction between hardware and software components using inter-process communication and system calls. In simple word, it control everything in the system and manages memory and CPU time operations. The kernel is first loaded into memory when the OS is loaded and remains there until the OS is shut down again. Using a kernel-mode rootkit, hackers attack the core of the target user’s computer’s operating system, the kernel. In rootkit kernel mode, hackers can change the functionality of the operating system simply by adding their own programs, making it easy for hackers to steal the personal information of targeted users. |
Preventive Measures:
Below are some preventive measures which we can follow for preventing rootkit attacks.
- A phishing attack is an attack in which hackers send malicious messages designed to trick the targeted user. Using phishing attacks, hackers spread ransomware on a target user’s computer by bypassing firewalls to extract the target user’s sensitive or personal information. Therefore, never click on attachments from unknown senders in emails. Avoid clicking on links in unfamiliar emails. Also, avoid unfamiliar social media activity.
- Hackers hide malware in various unknown files such as archive files (.zip, .rar), etc. When a target user opens this malicious file, the malware automatically enters the system and takes control of the system. So avoid downloading various types of unknown files, such as archive files (.zip, .rar), etc., because hackers hide malicious programs in these types of files.
- Use up-to-date anti-spyware and firewall programs to prevent unwanted access to your computer.
- Protect your device or computer from known and unknown viruses, malware, etc. with a strong, up-to-date security suite and antivirus software.
- Keep your software and operating system updated.
