The author of Hacker Defender – a website specializing in profiting from rootkit tools – has decided to cease all business activities.
Hacker Defender – an open-source Windows rootkit – has become very popular in the global security research community and is known as one of the most widely distributed rootkits on the Internet.
In the broadest terms, rootkits are tools that help hackers conceal all activities from the eyes of users as well as administrators. Hacker Defender has the capability to modify certain functions of Windows and the Native API, allowing hackers to hide files, streams, or other types of information from security applications.
Security company F-Secure stated that this rootkit also opens a backdoor and installs a port redirector, making the detection of the backdoor through traditional methods, such as remote port scanning, very difficult.
For over a year, the Hacker Defender website has been operating based on this rootkit tool as well as providing free versions of open-source tools. However, last weekend, the author of this website decided to terminate all operations.
The creator of Hacker Defender stated that the development of this rootkit aimed to encourage the industry to enhance protection capabilities for users. “We have demonstrated that current rootkit detection measures are inadequate and only halfway implemented.”
Meanwhile, F-Secure believes that the shutdown of the Hacker Defender website is good news for users. However, the closure of the website does not mean that the Hacker Defender rootkit will disappear. Users still need to be cautious.
“Backdoor.Win32.Hacdef is an open-source rootkit, so it’s certain that we will discover many new variants of this tool.”
Recently, experts have also identified a business program based on dangerous tools targeting computer users, similar to Hacker Defender.
HVD – (Techworld)
