What is VBR persistence and how is it used to execute backdoors during Windows startup?

VBR (Volume Boot Record) persistence, as detailed in the [Analysis of Windows Backdoor Exploitation Methods in CIA Vault7 RDB](/news/analysis-of-windows-backdoor-exploitation-methods-in-cia-vault7-rdb), involves hooking kernel code during the Windows startup process to load unsigned drivers. This technique, implemented by the tool Stolen Goods 2.0, is compatible with WinXP (x86) and Win7 (x86/x64) and was derived from the Carberp source code. It allows backdoors to execute before system defenses are fully active.