Most electronics consumers had never heard of rootkits before last year’s Sony BMG debacle. Now, rootkits have the attention of the U.S. public — and the U.S. government. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Thursday suggested that a measure outlawing the controversial software may be in order.
A rootkit is a security tool often used by hackers to capture passwords and message traffic to and from a computer. The tool may allow access to a so-called "back door" into a system, where a hacker Latest News about hacker can collect information on other computers on the network while masking the fact that the system is compromised.
"The recent Sony experience shows us that we need to be thinking about how we ensure that consumers are not surprised by what their software programs do," said Jonathan Frenkel, director of law enforcement policy at the DHS.
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