What is a rootkit - is it like a keylogger?

[tracygray]

i hope i am posting this under right section - like the title says - what is a rootkit, does someone need to have direct contact to install it on your computer or can you get it by browsing internet pages and what does it do?

 

[M1kkelZR]

A rootkit is a stealthy type of software, often malicious, designed to hide the existence of certain processes or programs from normal methods of detection and enable continued privileged access to a computer.[1] The term rootkit is a concatenation of "root" (the traditional name of the privileged account on Unix operating systems) and the word "kit" (which refers to the software components that implement the tool). The term "rootkit" has negative connotations through its association with malware.[1]

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rootkit

From what I've learnt, its something that is installed when the user downloads a piece of software. I could be totally wrong. Just have a read at the above link, maybe it clarifies for what you want to know.

 

[larsch]

And yes, you can get it by browsing a website, if the attacker has access to a vulnerability on your computer. Java is a popular way to get in these days

 

[voyagerfan99]

No it's not like a keylogger. They're two separate things. Rootkits are used by attackers to take control of your computer and control it to do with as they please (such as send out spam, virus' etc.)