R is for Rootkit
A rootkit infection on your PC is probably the worst type of infection to be hit with. It hides itself from the operating system and system tools such as ‘task manager’ and ‘regedit’. It even hides itself from standard security software such as an anti-virus or anti-spyware program and ‘hijackthis’. Although the rootkit itself may not be malicious it is used to hide the real malware running on the PC. This could be anything. A spambot – turning your PC in to a spamming factory. A keylogger – watching and reporting everything you type in order to catch usernames, passwords, bank or credit card details. And many more.
Rootkits work at the basic system level of the operating system and may change the Windows operating system itself and, if the rootkit is removed then Windows may become unstable and require re-installation. Many would say that, if you discover a rootkit on your PC then wiping your hard disk and re-installing windows is probably the only safe way to remove the rootkit.
A good PC security suite such as Kaspersky, which actively detects and prevents rootkits before they become embedded in the PC will help keep your PC safe from such nasty and malicious software.
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