Rootkits are difficult to remove and can hide other malware or give unauthorized access. Prevention is the best method, but specialized software may be required for removal. Reformatting the hard drive is a drastic but effective option.
Removing rootkits can be a difficult and frustrating process, although there are a number of tips that can make the process a little easier. Some security programs can quite reliably detect and deal with rootkits that may be present on a computer, although not all security and antivirus programs are able to do this effectively. Manually removing a rootkit can be done, although this may be impractical for many computer users. Removing rootkits may require completely reformatting an infected hard drive and then reinstalling any operating system (OS) on the drive.
A rootkit is a type of malicious software, or malware, that can enter a computer system and install itself at various levels of an operating system. Once a rootkit is on a system, it typically works to hide other forms of malware, such as viruses or worms, or to give unauthorized users access to a computer system through a backdoor. Removing rootkits can be very difficult, however, due to the way a rootkit affects a computer system and even detecting an existing rootkit is unlikely through standard virus scans. The best and simplest form of rootkit removal is prevention, usually through the use of antivirus and other security software.
Once a rootkit is present on a computer, however, rootkit removal can sometimes be aided by a security program designed to remove rootkits. Many security suites, such as antivirus programs with other security features, lack the necessary utilities to remove rootkits, so specialized software is often required. This software should typically be run from an uninfected drive, such as a compact disc (CD) or Universal Serial Bus (USB) hard drive. However, even this type of rootkit removal can fail, depending on the rootkit and how well it is protected by your security software.
One of the most effective, albeit quite drastic, forms of rootkit removal is to completely reformat an infected hard drive. This deletes all data located on the drive, including operating system files, all programs installed on the drive, personal files created by the user, and drivers installed on that hard drive. Once the hard drive is reformatted, rootkit removal should complete, and an operating system and other files can be reinstalled and placed on the drive. Restoring files from an infected drive can be done before reformatting, although this must be done carefully to ensure that the rootkit does not spread to the device the files are copied to.
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