In this chapter, you learned about the importance of the ptrace
system call and how it can be used in conjunction with viruses and memory infections. On the flip side, it is a powerful tool for security researchers, reverse engineering, and advanced hot patching techniques.
The ptrace
system call will be used periodically throughout the rest of this book. Let this chapter serve only as a primer.
In the next chapter, we will cover the exciting world of Linux ELF virus infection and the engineering practices behind virus creation.