Rootkit vs Malware - What's the difference?
rootkit | malware |
(computing) A set of software tools used by a third party after gaining access to a computer system in order to conceal the altering of files, or processes being executed by the third party without the user's knowledge.
To infect (a computer system) with a rootkit.
* 2000 , Seth T. Ross, UNIX system security tools
* 2006 , Ed Skoudis, Tom Liston, Counter hack reloaded
(computing) Software which has been designed to operate in a malicious, undesirable manner.
In computing terms the difference between rootkit and malware
is that rootkit is a set of software tools used by a third party after gaining access to a computer system in order to conceal the altering of files, or processes being executed by the third party without the user's knowledge while malware is software which has been designed to operate in a malicious, undesirable manner.As a verb rootkit
is to infect (a computer system) with a rootkit.rootkit
English
Alternative forms
* root kitNoun
(en noun)Verb
(rootkitt)- Given crackers' propensity for "rootkitting" systems — installing altered system binaries to facilitate future access — systematic integrity checks using message digest algorithms or one-way hash functions can be an important detection safeguard.
- If not, your system might have been rootkitted .