Hackers Find a New Place to Hide Rootkits

[Thankful]

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscente..._rootkits.html

[EASTER]

Interesting read.

Thanks for the article.

Short of full hardware stealth i wouldn't be a bit surprised if still more hiding places are possible.

[MikeBCda]

This is one case where I wonder about the benefits of a full-disclosure policy. I grew up in the Cold War, when learning (through espionage or however) that something was in fact possible was 3/4 of the job of learning how to do it yourself.

[kencat]

What am I missing here?

Title: Hackers Find a New Place to Hide Rootkits

1st paragraph: Security researchers have developed a new type of malicious rootkit software that hides itself in an obscure part of a computer's microprocessor, hidden from current antivirus products.

Security researchers are hackers? They freaking might as well be, by creating the malware, telling about it and showing it, and most likely letting it slip out into the wild.

Oh wait, I get it, to legitimize themselves, the hackers just have to call themselves "security researchers", and all is well. We don't have to worry about shady characters from the dark side, they all work on the light side now. I feel safer already.NOT.

Just had to rant, this article p......d me off.

Originally Posted by kencat

Security researchers are hackers?

Sure, why not? A hacker could have good or bad intentions. I don't know about modern day terminology, but the bad guys were/are usually refered to as "crackers". Here is a definition of Hacker.

There are also ethical hackers (more commonly referred to as white hats)

[kencat]

Well, I stand corrected and enlightened.....I think

One should learn something new everyday, so that goal is accomplished. Thanks for the link Wat0114.

Thinking about it more, I suppose there isn't much difference with the research going on in all forms of science and technology. A new deadly strain of a virus (biological) could be used for bad ends if it got released into the wrong hands, and certainly there are many ethical debates about whether many forms of research should even be allowed. To drive it (any research) deeper underground could have worse consequences.

I'm just really disappointed that there doesn't appear to be any end in sight to the endless security battle. Is there much hope for ever achieving a truly private and secure existence on this internet ?

Originally Posted by kencat

Is there much hope for ever achieving a truly private and secure existence on this internet ?

Private no because ISPs have your ip address and log your traffic, though there are anonymizing proxies that can mask your surfing habits. Truly secure, not a snowball's chance in Hades by the looks of things. It's not, however, that bad as long as security basics are followed and common sense is used in choosing websites to visit and opening email. Our family's computers have not seen malware in years, and we are not running tons of security apps, either.

[SystemJunkie]

Security researchers are hackers? They freaking might as well be, by creating the malware, telling about it and showing it, and most likely letting it slip out into the wild.

Oh wait, I get it, to legitimize themselves, the hackers just have to call themselves "security researchers", and all is well. We don't have to worry about shady characters from the dark side, they all work on the light side now. I feel safer already.NOT.

Exactly. Many bad guys working for the safety of your system.
But not the assumed bad guys are the problem only the real evil bad guys.

I'm just really disappointed that there doesn't appear to be any end in sight to the endless security battle. Is there much hope for ever achieving a truly private and secure existence on this internet ?

You plug in your internet cable and you are immediately connected to everything.. probably
you need a damn good filter.

So first blue pill came out.. everyone switched to Intel.. then came smm rootkit... everyone steps back to Amd?
Double bind.