GISP: GIAC Information Security Professional Certification

An error referencing Kernel32.exe frequently indicates that malware (a worm, Trojan, or virus) is interfering with this critical Windows system file. Appropriate countermeasures include updating the antivirus software so it can detect and remove the offending malware, checking Task Manager for unfamiliar or malicious processes and terminating them, and downloading and applying the latest Microsoft security patches for Windows Server 2003 to close the vulnerability the malware may be exploiting. Simply restoring Windows settings does not address the underlying malicious cause and therefore is not a valid corrective action in this context.