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No Defense Against Windows Rootkits?

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the bend-over-and-take-it dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Spyware bad guys (and also phishing people) started using rootkits technology to stay hidden in a system. The problem is that at the moment the technology to defend a Windows system from these things is very poor. In fact antivirus companies have just started adding basic anti-rootkits technology. So the problem is serious, and well outlined by this question: Is the closed source code of Windows preventing us from actively defending our systems?"

5 of 510 comments (clear)

  1. I fear not your rootkits! by tsalaroth · · Score: 5, Funny

    Because Windows has no root!

    1. Re:I fear not your rootkits! by El_Muerte_TDS · · Score: 4, Funny

      Crap, I renamed the user "Administrator" to "root"

  2. Ask the UNIX folk... by lpangelrob · · Score: 4, Funny
    They've been dealing with rootkits seemingly forever. How did they manage?

    No, seriously, I don't know the answer to this. :-)

    --
    -Rob

    Biblical fiscal responsibility

  3. Easy fixes!! by AnonymousYellowBelly · · Score: 3, Funny

    1. Buy a Mac! and be a little bit paranoid about security.
    2. Use Linux and be paranoid about security.
    3. Buy a tinfoil hat.
    4. Build a beowulf cluster of Linux enabled devices: an iPod, two toasters, one 'smart' fridge, and one spoon -anything runs Linux these days-.
    5. Build your own OS!

    Or you can keep on using Windows and trusting AV companies and its flawed model of "ok, we'll release the fix AFTER enough people have been screwed".

    I don't think that the design of Windows, where changing an int to a float in the library that displays Clippy can crash MSN Messenger, would allow for easy fixes, regardless of closed or open source code.

    You can actively defend your system anyway. It takes time and money (e.g. self-made hardware firewall with parts bought from the tinfoil-hat store, if you want to be /. grade paranoid), but is doable.

    --
    Disclosure: I'm stupid
  4. That brings a friends tagline to mind..... by 8127972 · · Score: 4, Funny

    ..... My other computer is YOUR computer.

    --
    This is my opinion. To make sure you don't steal it, it's covered by the DMCA.