Conclusion

This chapter has introduced the hardware-level mechanisms that work behind the scenes to enforce security and memory access in the operating system. It also has covered, in some detail, the use of the interrupt table. This knowledge is a basis upon which you can grow your understanding of computer manipulation. Because the hardware is ultimately responsible for implementing the software, all software is subject to manipulations applied at the hardware level. Thoroughly understanding these concepts is the starting point for true rootkit skills and the ability to subvert any other software running on the system.