Explain various types of rootkits.

Types of rootkits :

1. Application Rootkits:
   • These replace good files with infected ones on your computer.
   • They target common programs like Microsoft Office, Notepad, or Paint.
   • Every time you run these programs, attackers can access your computer.
   • Antivirus programs can usually catch them because they operate on the application layer.
2. Kernel Rootkits:
   • Attackers use these to change how the operating system works by adding harmful code.
   • This gives them a chance to easily steal personal info.
3. Bootloader Rootkits:
   • Bootloaders start your computer’s operating system.
   • These rootkits replace the original bootloader with an infected one.
   • They are active even before the operating system is fully loaded.
4. Hardware and Firmware Rootkits:
   • This kind of rootkit can access your computer’s essential systems like BIOS, hard drives, routers, memory chips, and network cards.
5. Virtualized Rootkits:
   • These rootkits use virtual machines to control operating systems.
   • They create a virtual machine before your system fully loads and then take control.
   • They operate at a higher level than operating systems, making them hard to detect.