Rootkit
Adversaries may use rootkits to hide the presence of programs, files, network connections, services, drivers, and other system components. Rootkits are programs that hide the existence of malware by intercepting/hooking and modifying operating system API calls that supply system information. (Citation: Symantec Windows Rootkits)
Senses
Sense 1
Adversaries may use rootkits to hide the presence of programs, files, network connections, services, drivers, and other system components. Rootkits are programs that hide the existence of malware by intercepting/hooking and modifying operating system API calls that supply system information. (Citation: Symantec Windows Rootkits)
Rootkits or rootkit enabling functionality may reside at the user or kernel level in the operating system or lower, to include a hypervisor or System Firmware. (Citation: Wikipedia Rootkit) Rootkits have been seen for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X systems. (Citation: CrowdStrike Linux Rootkit) (Citation: BlackHat Mac OSX Rootkit)
Rootkits that reside or modify boot sectors are known as Bootkits and specifically target the boot process of the operating system.
- MITRE ATT&CK (CTI STIX Data)Jan 03, 2026MITRE ATT&CK CTI (STIX bundle)https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mitre-attack/attack-stix-data/master/enterprise-attack/enterprise-attack.jsonSee repository LICENSE.txt for ATT&CK terms: non-exclusive royalty-free license; reproduce MITRE copyright + license in copies. Verify requirements before publishing quoted text.Source: MITRE ATT&CK (attack-stix-data).
Sense 2
A set of software tools with administrator-level access privileges installed on an information system and designed to hide the presence of the tools, maintain the access privileges, and conceal the activities conducted by the tools.
- NICCS (CISA) Cybersecurity VocabularyJan 06, 2026NICCS glossary export (CSV)https://niccs.cisa.gov/rest/vocab/export-csvNICCS is a CISA (DHS) program. Individual glossary entries include a "From" attribution (e.g., CNSSI 4009, NIST SPs, NICE Framework). Treat "From" values as upstream provenance and verify before quoting large portions of text.Source: NICCS (CISA) Cybersecurity Vocabulary (niccs.cisa.gov).
Sense 3
Adversaries may deploy rootkits to hide the presence of programs, files, network connections, services, drivers, and other system components. Rootkits are programs that hide the existence of malware by intercepting and modifying operating-system API calls that supply system information. Rootkits or rootkit-enabling functionality may reside at the user or kernel level in the operating system, or lower. (Citation: Enterprise ATT&CK January 2018)
Firmware rootkits that affect the operating system yield nearly full control of the system. While firmware rootkits are normally developed for the main processing board, they can also be developed for the I/O that is attached to an asset. Compromise of this firmware allows the modification of all of the process variables and functions the module engages in. This may result in commands being disregarded and false information being fed to the main device. By tampering with device processes, an adversary may inhibit its expected response functions and possibly enable Impact.
- MITRE ATT&CK (ICS, CTI STIX Data)Jan 06, 2026MITRE ATT&CK CTI (STIX bundle)https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mitre-attack/attack-stix-data/master/ics-attack/ics-attack.jsonSee repository LICENSE.txt for ATT&CK terms: non-exclusive royalty-free license; reproduce MITRE copyright + license in copies. Verify requirements before publishing quoted text.Source: MITRE ATT&CK (attack-stix-data).