[infoshare] Re: Free Antivirus Download Roots Out Rootkits
- From: "SHARON JOYNER" <darlenjoy@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <infoshare@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2007 13:53:29 -0400
I am very happy to see that AVG is up on the new spyware. I have this
program and I am very happy with it.
----- Original Message -----
From: Lynnette <superlynne@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <infoshare@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2007 9:20 AM
Subject: [infoshare] Re: Free Antivirus Download Roots Out Rootkits
> Luis,
> You are a font of information and we really appreciate it. Thank you.
> Lynne
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Luis Guerra" <blindsingle@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: "InfoShare" <InfoShare@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2007 5:12 AM
> Subject: [infoshare] Free Antivirus Download Roots Out Rootkits
>
>
> > Free Antivirus Download Roots Out Rootkits
> > By Jack M. Germain
> > TechNewsWorld
> > Part of the ECT News Network
> > 04/10/07 5:00 AM PT
> >
> > 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.
> >
> > Finding Infections
> >
> > The real problem with effective protecting against rootkits is finding
> > them, Carlson explained. This is something that traditional antivirus
> > programs are
> > not able to do.
> >
> > Even if an antivirus program detected intrusions in files on the hard
> > drive after scanning every file, it cannot completely remove the altered
> > files. Once
> > the user reboots the computer, the rootkit recreates the necessary
files.
> >
> > "Rootkits fool these antivirus applications and change the kernel so
they
> > can operate at ring 0 as hidden files. When a traditional antivirus scan
> > is performed,
> > they find nothing," said Carlson.
> >
> > Free Philosophy
> >
> > Grisoft decided to release the free rootkit download now rather than
> > waiting. The company plans to offer a paid version of the rootkit
> > technology in the
> > fall as part of the release of its version 8.0 security suite.
> >
> > "We didn't want to hold up getting this protection into the hands of 50
> > million people relying on our free security products," Carlson
explained.
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
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