Kernel 2.6 rootkits and the quest for Linux security
BREAKING IN AND KEEPING OUT
Your Linux system may not be so airtight after all. To understand the threats, you need to think like an intruder. We'll show you what the intruders are thinking now about the Linux 2.6 kernel.
Of all the most devilish creations in the history of cyber crime, the rootkit is perhaps the most ingenious. A rootkit is a bundle of tools for the network intruder. An attacker who gains access to a computer can upload the rootkit and use the tools to gain control of the system. One interesting aspect of a rootkit is its ability to cover the intruder’s tracks. Doctored-up versions of common monitoring utilities such as netstat and ps hide any sign of the attack. Many, many rootkits were copied onto many computers around the world. But eventually, developers and security specialists grew wise to the ways of user space rootkits. Experts learned to detect the intruder’s presence by looking behind the standard Unix tools for evidence of changes. But rather than giving up, the intruders went on to something new. The kernel rootkit is a new generation of intrusion tool that weaves itself into the Linux system at a very deep level – below the reach of any userland detection tools. Armed with the kernel rootkit, the intruders again gained the upper hand – at least temporarily.
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Find SysAdmin Jobs
News
-
Kubuntu Focus Announces XE Gen 2 Linux Laptop
Another Kubuntu-based laptop has arrived to be your next ultra-portable powerhouse with a Linux heart.
-
MNT Seeks Financial Backing for New Seven-Inch Linux Laptop
MNT Pocket Reform is a tiny laptop that is modular, upgradable, recyclable, reusable, and ships with Debian Linux.
-
Ubuntu Flatpak Remix Adds Flatpak Support Preinstalled
If you're looking for a version of Ubuntu that includes Flatpak support out of the box, there's one clear option.
-
Gnome 44 Release Candidate Now Available
The Gnome 44 release candidate has officially arrived and adds a few changes into the mix.
-
Flathub Vying to Become the Standard Linux App Store
If the Flathub team has any say in the matter, their product will become the default tool for installing Linux apps in 2023.
-
Debian 12 to Ship with KDE Plasma 5.27
The Debian development team has shifted to the latest version of KDE for their testing branch.
-
Planet Computers Launches ARM-based Linux Desktop PCs
The firm that originally released a line of mobile keyboards has taken a different direction and has developed a new line of out-of-the-box mini Linux desktop computers.
-
Ubuntu No Longer Shipping with Flatpak
In a move that probably won’t come as a shock to many, Ubuntu and all of its official spins will no longer ship with Flatpak installed.
-
openSUSE Leap 15.5 Beta Now Available
The final version of the Leap 15 series of openSUSE is available for beta testing and offers only new software versions.
-
Linux Kernel 6.2 Released with New Hardware Support
Find out what's new in the most recent release from Linus Torvalds and the Linux kernel team.