New 'rootkit" threat?

[dsvochak]

There was a thread awhile back about Sony ( http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=17119 ).

Now there's an article in PC World about Symantec and Kaspersky Lab http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,124365,00.asp#

The Windows operating system expert who exposed Sony BMG Music Entertainment's use of "rootkit" cloaking techniques last year is now criticizing security vendors Symantec and Kaspersky Lab for shipping software that works in a similar manner.
--------
While Russinovich agrees that the Symantec and Kaspersky cloaking techniques are not as dangerous as Sony's, which virus writers ultimately exploited, he says that all three vendors were engaging in a practice that is bad for users and IT professionals. "You don't want IT not knowing what's on the systems," he says. "Not being able to go to the system to do software inventory and disk-space inventory, that's just not a good idea."

[jdhurst]

What I read elsewhere is that this capability applies to Symantec System Works. I don't think (by no means certain) that you can root Symantec Client Security Corporate and the latest versions of Norton AntiVirus Retail have a setting to prevent anyone from tampering with the product. I don't know how strong a defense that is. ... JD Hurst