Rootkits are programs that hide the existence of malware by intercepting/hooking and modifying operating system API calls that supply system information. Rootkits or rootkit enabling functionality may reside at the flight software or kernel level in the operating system or lower, to include a hypervisor, Master Boot Record, or System Firmware.
| ID | Name | Description | NIST Rev5 | D3FEND | ISO 27001 | |
| CM0021 | Software Digital Signature | Prevent the installation of Flight Software without verification that the component has been digitally signed using a certificate that is recognized and approved by the mission. | CM-11(3) CM-14 CM-14 SA-10(1) SI-7 SI-7(12) SI-7(15) | |||
| CM0014 | Secure boot | Software/Firmware must verify a trust chain that extends through the hardware root of trust, boot loader, boot configuration file, and operating system image, in that order. The trusted boot/RoT computing module should be implemented on radiation tolerant burn-in (non-programmable) equipment. | SC-51 SI-7(9) | |||