![]() ![]() When doing so in regedit.exe, you can head over the key you’d like to create the subkey in. When working with the registry, you might also want to create new keys and set their values accordingly. Information for the current hardware configuration (HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Hardware Profiles\Current) Stores the data for all users who exist on the system Stores all system-wide settings and configurations User settings for currently logged-in user (links to HKEY_USERS) The following hives are present in every Windows setup by default: Registry Hiveįile extension association information (links to HKLM\Software\Classes) This separate file consists of settings which are specific to that user and are used to load applications, configure them, setup network connections, printers, and more. This new, separate file, is called the ‘user profile’ hive which is stored in the NTUSER.dat file in the User’s directory. Though the same hive is loaded when an old user logs in, a new hive is created for new users. The left pane shows a few hives, the right pane shows its values These values are loaded into the memory and utilized by the operating system upon user logon. What is a hive? A hive is a logical group of keys, sub-keys, and their values. These groups, like ‘HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT’, are called ‘Hives’. On the left pane, you have ‘groups’ of keys which have sub-nested keys in them with several values set in them. For the same reasosn, you should also have backups to ensure smooth recovery in case a problem does arise. Small changes can be grave and likewise, if not taken properly. Though here’s a disclaimer: You shouldn’t fool around with it unless you know what you’re doing. Windows does provide a solution to this issue, which is ‘Regedit’, an application that can help you play around with your registry keys and values. Which, so far, it is.However, you can’t edit these files yourself. Yes its scary, and no nobody is really clear what to do about protecting against it, except to trust that its rare and targeted. Google the competitions for the underhanded C and underhanded crypto competitions where apparently clean code must secretly achieve a malicious outcome. In standard libraries and trusted software "hidden in plain view". ![]() In trusted code you redownload or reinstall almost "as standard" after wiping the disk (think Microsoft office or MySQL offline media, or web download installers). In the OS itself (bad or faked install media, covert code in the source code or added to it in an unauthorised manner by an insider, third party or distributor, unknown to the authors). Malicious accessories - fake apple chargers at one time contained a malwaring capability. Hidden network connections - devices that contain a secret networking capability that isn't a virus but can be used to get covert access. Output devices (a dongle or fake ferrite core on a monitor cable that can log the rgb signal and decode or onward transmit the screen elsewhere). Potentially the CPU itself, in its microcode. In input devices or devices used to connect input devices - keyboard dongles, mouse dongles, hardware keyloggers, USB and Bluetooth devices that silently present themselves as a fake mouse/keyboard to execute commands, touchscreen devices that log or fake input by the user.Ĭards and other pluggable devices (graphics, network, WiFi, you name it) which present interfaces at a hardware or software level or have direct access to ram, in their firmware. In the hard drive firmware (and hidden sections of the HD accessible to it) - what can't be seen can't be wiped and the HD firmware has total control over what data is sent to the computer when a disk read is requested, and whetherthe real data is modified or not. That said, here are some examples of malware vectors and snooping/logging abilities that won't be fixed by reinstalling or wiping, to give you nightmares.Ĭomputer bios (or uefi) - the main computer firmware The good thing is that at present these aren't common vectors for malware for ordinary users. Some are known to have been exploited but only by nation-states (NSA etc) and others have been demoed by security researchers (bad-usb is one). But beyond this is a realm of other locations, often completely uncheckable at the moment. Most viruses are stored in normal disk spaces that antivirus programs routinely check. The current answer to that is, in any device or component that has firmware (or has circuitry that facilitates secret firmware or code) - and unfortunately that's almost all of them. The issue underlying the question is, where can code that runs automatically, exist on a computer. But notice the qualifiers malware authors are often quite clever and adapt quickly to new ideas. In general and at the moment (2016), wipe and reinstall is usually enough for an ordinary user. ![]()
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