root kit basic detection

[shanenin]

is the following a correct assumption about detecting a rootkit.. If you did a directory listing of a rootkited Windows system with either a Windows PE cd or a Linux live cd, if you knew what to look for, wouldn't all the root kit files be plainly(not hidden) seen? If that logic holds true. Would the following technique work to find malicious files? For example, do a directory listing of the system32 folder from with in the infected machine. Then do the same directory listing from a Windows PE(or linux) environment. Then compare the two listings. Any files found in the PE environment not in listed from the infected computer would be malicious.

If the previous holds true. Why not just write a script that does an entire directory listing of a computer from both a native environment and also a live environment and then use another script to compare the two lists. That seems to easy, am I just dreaming? Computer repair(lots of virus removal) is what I do for a living. If something like this could work.........

[TheTerrorist_75]

I don't believe it would be that simple for XP, Vista and Windows 7.

Read the following articles.

RootkitRevealer

Detecting Rootkits in Windows Millennium/98/95

Rootkit