How to check for rootkits on a dedicated server

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Running a Dedicated Server requires a decent knowledge of Linux security. You will have to monitor the Server for what in the parlance of our modern world of Internet Technologies is called a rootkit. This is a software system that consists of one or more programs designed to obscure the fact that a given Operating System has been compromised. The rootkit does not grant a user administrator privileges, as it requires prior access to execute and configure system files and processes. An attacker may use that rootkit to replace vital system executables, which may themselves be used to hide processes and files the attacker has installed, along with the presence of the rootkit. To regularly check your Dedicated Server for rootkits is very important and at the same time very easy to perform. This way you can even prevent the Server from being fully rooted (hacked). When dealing with this task, you will have to use software that will automatically check the system on your behalf. Such useful software is, for example, Rootkit Hunter (rkhunter) or chkrootkit. Both are aiming at the same thing - to scan your Dedicated Server's Operating System for rootkits, backdoors and possible local exploits. You will need to use SSH (secure shell tunneling) on your Server in order to be able to install the software. You can establish an SSH connection via a software client such as PuTTY. To install the software, you will have to download it (preferrably from its main repository page, which is https://rkhunter.sourceforge.net/) and issue the following commands once logged on the Dedicated Server.

Once the installation is completed, you can run

to check the commands and variables you can use with the software.

A simple command for running a check is:

chkrootkit is also a tool for checking for rootkit signs. You can install it by running the following commands:

To run it, simply use

A sample command where lots of data can be seen is

You can find everything you want to know about this product at its home page, which is https://www.chkrootkit.org.

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