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Microsoft's concern is recent rootkit malware that loads before Windows even boots. Thus it can make itself completely indetectable from Windows and any anti-vi
by cooldeal 15y ago
Microsoft's concern is recent rootkit malware that loads before Windows even boots. Thus it can make itself completely indetectable from Windows and any anti-virus software that is loaded later on in the booting process. The malware can even run a hypervisor of sorts if it wanted to and no one will be any wiser that there's malware running.
- nickolai 15y agoWhile that's an understandable concern, I think parent was wondering whether Microsoft should be more concerned with why their system allowed the rootkit to install itself in the first place.
- foobarf 15y agoIf the software is executed by the boot loader (UEFI), before Microsoft's windows boots, that is not by any fault of windows.
- e40 15y ago"If the software is executed by the boot loader (UEFI), before Microsoft's windows boots, that is not by any fault of windows." That's what it does after it gets installed. It got installed by attacking Windows itself.
- recoiledsnake 15y ago> It got installed by attacking Windows itself. The same attack is technically possible in OS X and Linux but not in iOS or WP7. Go figure.
- recoiledsnake 15y agoNo reason they can't do both, it increases security. Security is all about layers. You fight malware where you can. You should never depend on any one defense, however strong it is. >I think parent was wondering whether Microsoft should be more concerned with why their system allowed the rootkit to install itself in the first place Short of iOS style lockdown, how do they do that? Even OS X and Linux can be rootkitted.
- jimbobimbo 15y agoRootkit doesn't "install itself" - user installs it by running something shady and entering their own password or clicking Yes in UAC prompt.
- crististm 15y agoDoesn't this happen also with virtualized hardware?
- redthrowaway 15y ago>Microsoft's concern is recent rootkit malware that loads before Windows even boots. Nothing recent about it; boot sector viruses have been around way longer than Windows. I remember getting one on my 386DX from a floppy I'd used to grab a shareware version of Commander Keen from our local public library. Pain in the ass to clean up.
- aerique 15y agoI remember writing one on my Atari ST. Boot viruses were to major form of viruses back then, there was a fun one that reversed your mouse's y-axis after a while. There weren't many destructive ones though.