Rootkit Killer

Here's some good news. Grisoft, makers of AVG Anti-Virus, have released a free rootkit killer program. It will dig through your computer's files and operating system and kill malicious rootkits if they are found. One review I just read said that it works pretty well, too. (It either missed one particular rootkit used by the reviewer to test it or the rootkit reinstalled itself right after it was removed. The author wasn't sure which had happened.)

Millburn, N.J. - April 10, 2007 – GRISOFT, the developer of AVG Internet security software, today introduced a new, free product aimed at detection and removal of Rootkits. Rootkits are a specific malware type which hide in other applications or a computer‘s operating system kernel. This allows malicious applications to then collect passwords and sensitive data from the infected computer without user knowledge for personal information theft, spam relay and other criminal intents.

Rootkits have become a severe threat in comparison to traditional malware because conventional antivirus often misses the hidden rootkit. They execute by embedding applications within the operating system, which is also an essential application to many necessary programs including antivirus protection, so it is important to correctly distinguish between malicious rootkits and legitimately hidden processes. GRISOFT conducted six months of open beta program testing to ensure AVG Anti-Rootkit is able to protect users and operating systems without the confusion and hassle of false alarms.

The download is available from Grisoft's website (This page). I'm sure it will be mirrored at a lot of other download sites by day's end.