A cowpat produced by a male, frankly.

Rootkits have been around forever, they aren't the 'next big thing' at all.

What happens is that some very clever (though morally unhinged) people invent new ways to break past network security measures. Then they write programs (these rootkits) that automate the process.

Then the script kiddies get hold of them, and run them without having the slightest clue how they actually work. It's always been this way.