Several days ago, it was reported that Microsoft purchased another company that concerns itself mainly with the detection and elimination of rootkits. Rootkits, for those not aware, are nasty little programs that winnow their way into your system ( running a Microsoft OS) and establish virus like activity, all the while being undetectable by normal methods.
The first time most of us became aware of rootkits was when Sony BMG started putting one on some of its copy-protected compact discs. The idea was to prevent successful copying of the discs, but the side problem was that the rootkit was taking up processor time. The guys from SysInternals, now a part of Microsoft, were the ones to track the problem down. Once identified, the rootkit was able to be removed by the SysInternals guys, and a very large backlash, including a class-action lawsuit was started against Sony.
The new purchase, of Komoku, is another case where something must be getting found by an outside company, where Microsoft cannot seem to get a handle on its own operating systems. Or, possibly, the company has discovered another rootkit method that Microsoft wishes to keep secret, and quash most public knowledge thereof.
In any case, an operating system that was not designed to hide things from the user would be far more useful to most, and would not have netted so much ill will toward Microsoft.
from Betanews -
Microsoft announced today that it acquired startup Komoku, a company specializing in rootkit detection and protection solutions. The deal marks Microsoft’s second purchase related to fighting rootkits.
Komoku is headed by sixteen-year information security veteran Dr. William Arbaugh, and former Silicon Graphics Inc. and Atheros Communications engineer Jeffrey Chung.
The Maryland-based group was founded in 2004 and has worked extensively with U.S. government agencies including the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security.
The company offers both hardware and software-based solutions geared toward larger-scale enterprise deployments. Komoku’s CoPilot PCI card monitors the host’s memory and file system, and its Gamma software solution finds operating system anomalies attributable to rootkit infection.
In 2005, Microsoft warned of the impending threat of rootkits, which at the time were largely undetectable by consumer antivirus applications. Rootkits, by design, are intended to establish a command position at root, or administrative, level.
The risks posed by rootkits was thrust into the public spotlight in 2005 when Sony BMG was found to be using rootkit cloaking technology to hide digital rights management software on customers’ computers. Outrage over the incident led to a class action lawsuit, and a public apology from Sony BMG executives.
In late 2006, Microsoft acquired the company behind Rootkit Revealer and hired its creator Mark Russinovich, who first uncovered the rootkit used by Sony BMG.
Although it may seem strange for Microsoft to be acquiring a second rootkit-related firm, the company intends to integrate Komoku’s technologies into its Forefront enterprise security line and Windows Live OneCare consumer security and support solution. The financial details of the transaction were not made public, but Microsoft will acquire Komoku’s development team as well as its intellectual property.
No one has ever accused Microsoft of bad purchase decisions!
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[tags] Komoku, Microsoft, rootkit, SysInternals, buying your way to quality
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