Palo Alto Networks (PANW) Certified Cybersecurity Entry-level Technician (PCCET) Practice Exam

Which type of malware operates at the BIOS level, making it undetectable by standard tools?

1. Rootkit

2. Logic bomb

3. Ransomware

4. Spyware

The correct answer is: Rootkit

Rootkits are a type of malware designed to operate at a low level in a computer system, often at the BIOS or kernel level. This allows rootkits to gain a high level of control over the system and manipulate its operations without detection. Because they function beneath the standard operating system, traditional security tools, like antivirus software, may not be able to detect their presence. This makes rootkits particularly dangerous, as they can enable attackers to maintain persistent access to the machine, hide other malicious activities, and gather sensitive information without being noticed. In contrast, other types of malware, such as logic bombs, ransomware, and spyware, typically function at higher levels of the operating system, and do not have the same capability to embed themselves in the BIOS or deeply integrate with system processes without detection.