A rootkit is the actual toolset used by hackers to gain access to your computer so as to alter files and proceeses without the knowledge of your computer or your security software downloads. They are pretty complicated but thoroughly avoidable if you download the latest Norton security and antivirus software before the rootkits take hold.

Rootkits work by creating a super-level access to your computer that sits above the standard admin rights that computer owners usually hold. Hence they can live undetected while activating trojan horses, viruses, and worms. Rootkit code is easily found on the web and their use by hackers in increasing because many antivirus software downloads lack rootkit detection.

At Antivirus2009 we did an analysis of the cost of administration rights to a company. Admin rights are full access rights that by default are given to you when first using your PC, thereby allowing you to download, destroy or change anything you want on your computer. The alternative to administration rights is restricted access. When given the former, the cost of running a computer increases 8-fold. There are efficiency losses (seeking approval for downloads etc) but monetary gains. Unfortunately in Windows Vista, admin rights are by default turned on and little effort is then made to overturn them so rootkits continue to exploit.

The latest weapon of choice used by hackers, rootkits cloak their existence so effectively that some second tier antivirus software struggles to find a trace. If a computer has been compromised, the rootkit itself will send back erroneous analysis to the antivirus software. For example, to run a virus scan the anti vrius software needs to be told what files exist, but the rootkit covers its tracks by giving results that existed at the time of its inception.

For a safeharbour from rootkits we recommend Norton's antivirus products, all discounted for a limited time:

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