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Submitted by: Bill Hickey
NCVA List Master

NRT-0142 Rootkits Challenge Security Community:

McAfee IT security experts warned that rootkits are rapidly becoming more prolific and more virulent. The company reported that rootkits, including malware such as Trojans, worms, and viruses that actively conceal their existence at a low level within operating systems, are becoming more prevalent and more sophisticated. McAfee warned that rootkit techniques would continue to challenge the security community.

"Rootkit techniques, which were new in the first quarter of 2006, basically included Trojans that were trying to incorporate rootkit behavior. Now we see more samples from existing rootkit families, whereas new families that employ rootkit techniques have slowed down."

McAfee reported seeing a significant increase in the number of Windows- based stealth components over the past five years. Only 27 rootkit components existed in 2001, while almost 2,400 rootkit components were found in 2006.

The security firm announced the availability of a whitepaper, Rootkits Part 2: A Technical Primer, designed to help IT security professionals better understand the technologies that make stealth possible on the Microsoft Windows platform.

(www.vnunet.com 18APR07)

Last Modified: Sunday, 29-Apr-2007 14:41:28 EDT