A rootkit is a set of software programs that are permanently undetectable on a computer. Generally, rootkits are used by viruses to store malicious software to use when instructed. Sometimes companies (recently a major music conglomerate) use a rootkit to keep legitimate software tools or files.
What is the problem with rootkits? Antivirus programs do not scan rootkits because they cannot find them, so even if a innocent rootkit exists, it could contain contaminated files or a virus can store its bad software inside. The solution is to make these files detectable. When a company releases a fix, this is what typically occurs.
