Grisoft Offers Free Antirootkit Tool

Grisoft, widely known for its AVG brand of antivirus solutions, announced that it's now offering a free antirootkit tool, AVG Anti-Rootkit. The product, available for Windows 2000 and Windows XP systems, is the end result of six months of open beta testing. "AVG Anti-Rootkit is developed to detect and destroy rootkits effectively, without bothering users with false alarms," said Larry Bridwell, vice president of global security strategies at Grisoft. The company is offering AVG Anti-Rootkit to anyone, along with free future updates.

Rootkits are a growing concern and are being increasingly used by intruders of all types, including those out for financial gain. Another antivirus vendor, Panda Software, recently said that in 2006, its PandaLabs team tracked a 62 percent increase in the amount of malicious code that used rootkit technology. Panda thinks the figure is on track to increase even more in 2007. Based on its current detection rates, the company forecasts a 40 percent increase over 2006 figures.