Find out what a Bootkit is, and is it a real threat to your computer?
The risk of catching a virus is very real. There are unseen forces working to attack our computers, steal our identities and take over our bank accounts.
However, as with antivirus and other security software, potential attackers continue to find new, nefarious vectors to bring your system down. Bootkits are one of them. While not exactly new to the malware scene, there has been a recent general uptick in their use and a clear intensification of their capabilities.
Let’s look at what a bootkit is, and what you can do to stay clear.
What is a bootkit?
To understand what a bootkit is, a bootkit is a form of rootkit, a type of malware with the ability to hide itself from your operating system and antivirus software. Rootkits are notoriously difficult to detect or remove. Every time they bring down your system, a rootkit will grant an attacker continued, advanced-level access to the system.A rootkit can be installed for a number of reasons.
Sometimes a rootkit is used to install more malware, sometimes it is used to create a “zombie” computer within a botnet, and can be used to steal encryption keys and passwords, among other attacks.
For example, replacing rootkits with a bootkit will affect the Master Boot Record, Volume Boot Record, or other boot sectors. This means that the infection can load before the operating system, and thus can subvert any detection and destroy programs.
Their use is on the rise, and security experts have noticed a number of attacks focused on financial services.