There might be a rootkit in your computer and there are high chances that you will be unaware of it. Because that’s what rootkit does, it hides in your computer and quietly keeps corrupting your system. That’s why Rootkit removal tools are necessary to have on your computer. Without getting into the detail of the best free rootkit removal software, first, understand what really are rootkits.
What are Rootkit attacks?
A rootkit is basically malicious software that is used by cybercriminals to hide malware in your computer. It allows the malware to reside in your system for as long as they want. A Rootkit can hide in your computer for many years without you ever knowing about it.
During its time in your system, it will steal all the information and resources it wants. And most of the time these rootkits remain undetected even by anti-virus software. So, if we are to compile what is a rootkit and how it works in a definition, it would be this;
“A Rootkit is a collection of malicious software created specifically to allow the unknown user access to your computer. Once installed, it will be masked, making it almost impossible to detect its presence. And it will stay there stealing all the data and information for as long as the unknown user (hackers/cybercriminals) want”.
What you need to understand here is that the Rootkits attack your computer by controlling the content in it. For example, if your automated antivirus scan asks some file to open, rootkits will open some other harmless file instead. That’s why it is very important to understand “what are Rootkit attacks?” and “how Rootkits corrupt your system?”
How To Detect Rootkits?
The most important question here is that “How can you detect Rootkits in your PC?” Well, the answer is, it is almost near to impossible to detect rootkit in your system. And if it was present in your computer before installing Anti-virus software, then it will not get detected by the antivirus tool. Rootkits are notoriously smart enough to evade the detection of antivirus software.
Most of the Antivirus tools are unable to detect Rootkits in your system. Only specifically designed rootkit scanners and detectors can notify you of their presence. Still, there are no commercially designed products that can completely detect known and unknown rootkits on your system. Mostly, the methods to detect rootkits include;
- Behavioral Analysis of your computer like is there any strange activity your computer is showing which usually does not occur.
- Memory Dump Analysis is another sure way to detect the rootkit in your system. There is only one place where the rootkit can’t hide and that is memory. So, always check for the instructions executed by the rootkit in the memory of your system.
Most Common and Dangerous Rootkits
- Flame – a rootkit discovered in 2012 that attacks the PCs running Windows OS. It can hide and perform the following tasks; record audio, screenshots, network traffic, and keyboard activity.
- Stuxnet is the first rootkit designed for Industrial Control Systems.
- Zeus, the most harmful rootkit is a Trojan horse that steals banking information.
- NTrootkit was identified as the first rootkit to target Windows OS.
- Sony BMG which steal information like email address and make the system vulnerable to other security threats.
- Lion– Linux Rootkit Malware
- Hacker Defender
- Machiavelli– it was the first rootkit to target Mac OS and was even able to make system calls.
How To Remove Rootkits
So, we know about what are rootkits, how rootkits work, how rootkits can be detected, and the most common and well-known rootkits in the market. Now is the time to talk about how to get rid of this malware.
Also, we recommend not to rely on the Windows inbuild malware removal software. Because some rootkits can easily get past those scans. That’s why to protect your PC from rootkits it is necessary to have third-party rootkit removal software.
Why use third-party Rootkit removal software?
The reason lies in the fantastic security features other rootkit removal software offers. We already know that rootkits are strong enough to outsmart automated antivirus scans that’s why the latest and modern malware removal tools are required to get rid of these rootkits. Here are some best free Rootkit Removal tools which you can use to detect and remove rootkit attacks from your PC.
If your system is not corrupted with rootkits, still, I would recommend installing one of these rootkit removal software and scan your system properly. Let’s get started:
Here is the list of all Best Free Rootkit Removal Tools
- McAfee Rootkit Remover
- Sophos Rootkit Removal Tool
- Kaspersky TDSSKiller
- Bitdefender Rootkit Remover
- VirusBlokAda Vba32 Anti-Rootkit Tool
- avast! aswMBR Rootkit Scanner
- Malwarebytes Anti-Rootkit
- F-Secure BlackLight
- Trend Micro Rootkit Buster
McAfee Rootkit Removal Tool
McAfee is a command-prompt-look-alike rootkit remover. It scans your system thoroughly for any possible rootkit threat and removes it when found. This rootkit removal shows every stage of scanning, detecting, and cleaning the malware. You just have to install it. Then navigate to the folder containing rootkit file.exe. It is recommended to run the McAfee rootkit removal as an administrator because it provides better results this way.
Sophos Rootkit Removal Tool
It is one of the best rootkit removers in the market. It scans, detects, and removes the rootkits from your system. The best thing about Sophos Rootkit Remover is that it not only removes the existing rootkits but also provides protection against future rootkit installations. Here is how you use the Sophos tool:
- Download the tool on your computer.
- Run the program on your PC, and put the Sophos tool on the desktop
- Double click Sophos Virus Removal Tool
- Now click the “Start Scanning” button available there
- That’s it! The Sophos Removal tool will scan your computer, removing any rootkits if found.
Kaspersky TDSSKiller
We have already talk bout Kaspersky software in our other article on free anti-malware and the best parental control software. Now Kaspersky has another tool that can be used to remove rootkits. It easily detects the existing rootkits in your system and removes them along will other virus threats. What’s best about Kaspersky TDSSKiller is that it can detect and removes a wide range of rootkits. That’s why it is the most trusted and common rootkit removal tool.
Kaspersky TDSSKiller Can Remove these Rootkits and Bootkits
| Backdoor.Win32.Phanta.a,b | Rootkit.Boot.Clones.a | Rootkit.Boot.Nix.a | Rootkit.Boot.Xpaj.a | Trojan-Ransom.Boot.Mbro.f |
| Backdoor.Win32.Sinowal.knf,kmy | Rootkit.Boot.CPD.a,b | Rootkit.Boot.Pihar.a,b,c | Rootkit.Boot.Yurn.a | Trojan-Ransom.Boot.Siob.a |
| Backdoor.Win32.Trup.a,b | Rootkit.Boot.Fisp.a | Rootkit.Boot.Plite.a | Rootkit.Win32.PMax.gen | Trojan-Spy.Win32.ZBot |
| Rootkit.Boot.Mebusta.a | Rootkit.Boot.Geth.a | Rootkit.Boot.Prothean.a | Rootkit.Win32.Stoned.d | Virus.Win32.Cmoser.a |
| Rootkit.Boot.Backboot.c | Rootkit.Boot.Goodkit.a | Rootkit.Boot.Qvod.a | Rootkit.Win32.TDSS | Virus.Win32.Rloader.a |
| Rootkit.Boot.Aeon.a | Rootkit.Boot.Harbinger.a | Rootkit.Boot.Sawlam.a | Rootkit.Win32.TDSS.mbr | Virus.Win32.TDSS.a,b,c,d,e |
| Rootkit.Boot.Adrasteia.a | Rootkit.Boot.Krogan.a | Rootkit.Boot.Smitnyl.a | Rootkit.Win32.ZAccess.aml,c,e,f,g,h,i,j,k | Virus.Win32.Volus.a |
| Rootkit.Boot.Backboot.a | Rootkit.Boot.Lapka.a | Rootkit.Boot.SST.a,b | Trojan-Clicker.Win32.Wistler.a,b,c | Virus.Win32.ZAccess.k |
| Rootkit.Boot.Batan.a | Rootkit.Boot.MyBios.b | Rootkit.Boot.SST.b | Trojan-Dropper.Boot.Niwa.a | Virus.Win32.Zhaba.a,b,c |
| Rootkit.Boot.Bootkor.a | Rootkit.Boot.Nimnul.a | Rootkit.Boot.Wistler.a | Trojan-Ransom.Boot.Mbro.d,e |
Malwarebytes Anti-Rootkit Tool
If you are unable to remove the rootkit from your system using the above-mentioned tools (which is highly unlikely to happen) then Malware bytes is the most authentic and best tool to do this task. It cleans your system by removing even the most deeply embedded rootkits. It is famous for detecting and removing the most notorious of rootkits and is considered the number 1 rootkit removal tool.
Avast Free Rootkit Scanner and Removal Tool
Avast is not a new name in antiviral and anti-malware software. We have already discussed Avast Security in our previous posts about the best anti-malware tools. And there is no surprise that it works best in rootkit removal too. It removes the currently residing rootkits in your system. And also, prevent future rootkits attacks by regularly scanning and detecting your system to check for any threats.
Bitdefender Rootkit Remover
Bitdefender is really a name in the antivirus and anti-malware market. It is famous because it can detect and remove every known rootkit from your system. The user can immediately launch this tool without the need of booting your computer first. But still, a complete reboot is necessary for the complete cleaning of your system.
VirusblokAda Vba 32 Anti-Rootkit Tool
This is the tool that offers protection against different malware. The VirusBlokAda Vba 32 thoroughly analyzes your computer for any malware including rootkits and removes them. It neutralizes both known and unknown rootkits in your system.
Download the Free VirusBlokAda Vba32 Anti-Rootkit Tool Here
F-secure Blacklight Rootkit Remover
This tool successfully removes the hidden malwares and rootkits from your computer. It not just remove rootkits but also eliminates all those malwares which can use or install rootkits in your system.
Trend Micro Rootkit Buster
It is one of the most successful rootkit eliminators in the market. It protects against unknown security threats as well as removes any viruses and malware in your system. Trend Micro provides highly tight security by regular scanning of your computer to check for any rootkit presence.
The other rootkit removal tools like F-Secure Blacklight, VirusBlokAda Vba32 Anti Rootkit Tool, and Trend Micro rootkit buster are also equally useful but not that efficient as the ones mentioned above. What’s best is that they are totally free and provide the best quality and protection.
How To Protect Your PC From Rootkit?
This is the question majorly asked by the users. The best way to prevent rootkit attacks in your system is by:
Applying the latest Updates ion your System. Old updates of operating systems are more prone to rootkit attacks.
Always keep a backup of your data, in case there is no way to remove the rootkit from your system. This way even if you have to rebuild the operating system, you will have your data safe and sound which you can restore later.
Let us know if any of the above-mentioned rootkit removal tools helped you to get rid of the threat. Also, do comment below your queries regarding Windows, Android, and iPhone.
