Neowin News Feed for: Rootkit

Beware: Windows PCs with Asus and Gigabyte motherboards housing CosmicStrand UEFI rootkit

Sayan Sen — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 10:10:01 +0000

Certain Windows PCs with Gigabyte and Asus motherboards have been found to be infected with a new "CosmicStrand" UEFI rootkit. The malware is an evolution of an older rootkit dubbed "Spy Shadow". Read more...

New year brings bad news for Linux as 2021 saw up to 10 times more malware samples

Sayan Sen — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 22:30:02 +0000

According to a CrowdStrike report, Linux malware and malware samples have increased by a lot in 2021 as compared to a year prior. One of the malware types has seen submissions increase by tenfold. Read more...

Microsoft WHQL-signed FiveSys driver was actually malware in disguise

Sayan Sen — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 06:12:01 +0000

A WHQL-certified driver called "FiveSys" was detected by Bitdefender which was, in reality, a malicious rootkit. After learning about it, the driver's signature has since been removed by Microsoft. Read more...

Pay What You Want for the Complete White Hat Hacker Certification Bundle

News Staff — Wed, 01 Jan 2020 18:46:01 +0000

Take a deep dive into one of the fastest growing and lucrative tech careers with 9 courses and 65 hours content. Beat the average price for the entire bundle, or Pay What You Want for part of it. Read more...

Pay What You Want for this complete White Hat Hacker certification bundle

News Staff — Wed, 07 Aug 2019 17:46:01 +0000

Pay What You Want for the Complete White Hat Hacker Certification Bundle

News Staff — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 18:46:01 +0000

ESET uncovers first case of a UEFI rootkit used by Sednit group in the wild

Ruel Revales — Thu, 27 Sep 2018 18:44:02 +0000

Security researchers at ESET have discovered what they claim to be the first UEFI rootkit being used in the wild, allowing hackers to write persistent malware into the target computers. Read more...

'HummingBad' Android malware briefly returns as approved 'Whale Camera' Play Store app

Michael Firth — Wed, 25 Jan 2017 20:48:01 +0000

The updated malware not only made it onto the Google Play store, but has been downloaded 'several million times' as part of specially crafted applications designed to infect a user's device. Read more...

Dangerous backdoor found in about 3 million Android smartphones, BLU affected the most

Shreyas Gandhe — Sun, 20 Nov 2016 10:00:01 +0000

A new security advisory has revealed that about 3 million Android smartphones are carrying a very powerful rootkit that could allow hackers to install apps with elevated permissions. Read more...

Lenovo in hot water once again for secretly installing unremovable software

Justin Luna — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 08:50:01 +0000

Another security breach was found in Lenovo's computers. The company was found automatically reinstalling its own software even when a computer had been wiped clean on an installation of Windows. Read more...

Microsoft's security head gives predictions for 2013's malware

John Callaham — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 23:58:35 +0000

The director of Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing division has given his predictions on the kinds of software threats that might pop up in 2013, including using apps and movies more to deliver malware Read more...

Emsisoft Anti-Malware 6.0.0.57

Razvan Serea — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:08:10 +0000

Emsisoft Anti-Malware protects your PC from malware-based hacker attacks. Its special capabilities in dealing with trojans, worms, dialers and spyware make it an indispensable enhancement to any Read more...

Carrier IQ software accused of tracking phone users

John Callaham — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 08:22:39 +0000

A security researcher has accused Carrier IQ, the makers of software used in millions of smartphones, of creating a program that logs every action made by a smartphone user. Read more...

Avast: Windows XP makes up 74% of rootkit infections

Denis Wong — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 20:36:54 +0000

A report from Avast Software, developers of the free avast! antivirus for Windows computers, shows that rootkit infections are highest on Windows XP, in stark contrast to Windows 7. Read more...

Google to ‘Remote Kill' malicious apps on Androids

Steven Parker — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 10:08:44 +0000

Google has now confirmed that 58 malicious applications were uploaded to Android Market, and that they were downloaded onto around 260,000 devices before Google removed the apps on Tuesday evening. Although that number sounds quite... Read more...

Linux under attack: compromised SSH keys lead to rootkit

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:59:40 +0000

The U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) has issued a warning for what it calls "active attacks" against Linux-based computing infrastructures using compromised SSH keys. The attack appears to initially use stolen SSH keys to... Read more...

Researchers Discover Rootkit Variation

Daniel Fleshbourne — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 10:43:08 +0000

While there might not be new malicious threats under the sun, there are plenty of new ways to spin old virus attacks. Trend Micro researchers discovered last weekend a new variation of a MBR rootkit... Read more...

Warning on stealthy Windows rootkit

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 16:48:39 +0000

Security experts are warning about a stealthy Windows rootkit that steals login details for online bank accounts. In the last month, the malicious program has racked up about 5,000 victims - most of whom are... Read more...

Sony pleads innocent in latest rootkit fiasco

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 18:09:54 +0000

Sony says the rootkit-like behavior of a device driver used to run its biometric Micro Vault USM-F thumb drive was unintentional. McAfee has joined F-Secure in criticising Sony for allowing such a mistake to happen.... Read more...

McAfee Rootkit Detective 1.0

Razvan Serea — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 11:23:56 +0000

McAfee Rootkit Detective Beta is a program designed and developed by McAfee Avert Labs to proactively detect and clean rootkits that are running on the system. McAfee Rootkit Detective should only be used by knowledgeable... Read more...

Researchers: 'Blue Pill' Rootkit Detectable

Daniel Fleshbourne — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 11:32:14 +0000

Joanna Rutkowska, the security researcher who one year ago built a working prototype, code-named Blue Pill, of a rootkit capable of creating malware that remains "100 percent undetectable," has tacitly conceded to a group of... Read more...

Symantec pitches rootkit tech as Veritas validation

Daniel Fleshbourne — Thu, 10 May 2007 10:10:21 +0000

Some industry watchers may still question why Symantec moved to acquire storage software maker Veritas for $10.2 billion in 2004, but the fruits of the companies' combined labors are already proving the deal as a... Read more...

Can a Rootkit Be Certified for Vista?

Fri, 16 Mar 2007 12:09:58 +0000

Forget what Microsoft says about Vista being the most secure version of Windows yet. More to the point, what do the hackers think of it? In a nutshell, they think it's an improvement, but at... Read more...

FTC finally settles with Sony BMG over rootkit

Wed, 31 Jan 2007 04:18:19 +0000

Sony BMG started with a class-action lawsuit, continued with a settlement with state attorneys general and ended with the federal government. I use the term "ended" very loosely. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced... Read more...

McAfee Rootkit Detective 1.0.0.41 Beta

Razvan Serea — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 09:41:54 +0000

Microsoft Releases Sony Rootkit Hunter's Tools

Daniel Fleshbourne — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 11:47:39 +0000

Nearly four months after hiring Sony rootkit whistleblower Mark Russinovich, Microsoft has moved his company's software to its Web site and has released a new Windows system tool that can help fight hackers. The freeware... Read more...

Microsoft Blocks Windows Vista Rootkit Exploit

Steven Parker — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 13:36:06 +0000

Microsoft has blocked the attack vector used to slip unsigned drivers past new security policies being implemented in Windows Vista, according to Joanna Rutkowska, the stealth malware researcher who created the exploit. Rutkowska, who demonstrated... Read more...

Rootkit malware has double sting in its tail

Daniel Fleshbourne — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 19:20:13 +0000

Security experts have warned of newly intercepted malware which loads a rootkit onto compromised PCs. The rootkit blocks search engines by changing local DNS settings, and installs additional malicious code.According to Panda Software, the Zcodec... Read more...

Sophos Ships Rootkit Removal Tool

Steven Parker — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 09:09:11 +0000

Enterprise anti-virus vendor Sophos on Aug. 23 released a free rootkit detection and removal tool alongside a warning that the stealthy malware threat is a legitimate security concern for businesses. Sophos, of Lynnfield, Mass., said... Read more...

Symantec Caught in Rootkit Controversy

Thu, 12 Jan 2006 20:50:26 +0000

Symantec has been forced to fix a "flaw" in Norton SystemWorks which could possibly allow malware authors to hide files from users. While the feature is designed to prevent SystemWorks users from accidentally deleting... Read more...

Sony to settle rootkit row

Tom Warren — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 12:07:30 +0000

Sony BMG has struck a deal in a class actionlawsuit over copy-restriction software it used in music CDs, resulting in major benefits to consumers. Free music downloads and cash refunds could soon beoffered to... Read more...

ARIES (Sony) Rootkit Remover

Steven Parker — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 11:21:40 +0000

During autumn 2005, Sony included rootkit-style content-protection software on approximately 4.7 million CDs of over 50 artists worldwide exposing consumer PCs to security holes. The XCP rootkit, developed by First4Internet, was inadvertently placed on unsuspecting... Read more...

Texas Sues Sony Over Rootkit

Mon, 21 Nov 2005 20:27:58 +0000

Under its new anti-spyware law, the State of Texas has sued Sony BMG Music Entertainment, on the grounds that its much-maligned XCP anti-piracy software included on numerous recent releases has left customers' computers open to... Read more...

Sony's DRM Rootkit Comes in Mac Flavor, Too

Thu, 17 Nov 2005 00:20:00 +0000

Sony says it will discontinue distribution of its DRM software, which could pose a "rootkit" security threat to users. But does that include the OS X version? Sony is reportedly pulling its... Read more...

New backdoor program uses Sony rootkit

Daniel Fleshbourne — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 11:15:39 +0000

The media has already written extensively about how Sony BMG appliedrootkit technology to hide and protect DRM components used to prevent disks from being copied. One highly unfortunate effect of Sony's decision to use this... Read more...

PowerUser.tv Ep 14: RFID Chips, Sony Rootkit & Civilization4

Mon, 07 Nov 2005 22:21:00 +0000

In this episode Kristin and the gang at PowerUser.tv discuss how the U.S. government is planning on placing RFID chips in the passports of U.S. citizens next year. Also the team shakes a communal fist... Read more...

Sony's Rootkit Benefits WOW Hackers

Fri, 04 Nov 2005 21:09:20 +0000

World of Warcraft hackers have confirmed that the hiding capabilities of Sony BMG's content protection software can make tools made for cheating in the online world impossible to detect. The software--deemed a "rootkit" by many... Read more...

AIM Worm Installs Rootkit

Mon, 31 Oct 2005 00:38:50 +0000

FaceTime Security Labs reported on Friday that a variant of the Sdbot worm has been making it's way around the AOL Instant Messenger network (AIM) via chats and instant messaging. Symptoms of an... Read more...

Rootkit Detection Coming to Windows AntiSpyware

Tue, 19 Jul 2005 20:37:50 +0000

Microsoft plans to integrate rootkit detection technology from its Strider Ghostbuster research project into future versions of the Windows AntiSpyware application, Ziff Davis Internet News has learned. Strider Ghostbuster, a prototype tool developed... Read more...

Rootkit Revealer 1.5

Sat, 25 Jun 2005 17:47:01 +0000

Rootkit Revealer is an advanced root kit detection utility. It runs on Windows NT 4 and higher and its output lists Registry and file system API discrepancies that may indicate the presence of a user-mode... Read more...