Another notable attack was called Back Orifice. Founded in 1999 by a hacker group called Cult of the Dead Cow, Back Orifice exploited vulnerabilities in the Windows operating system to install backdoors allowing remote control of Windows computers. Backdoors can be very difficult to detect and detection methods vary greatly depending on the computer`s operating system. In some cases, antimalware software can detect backdoor software. In other cases, security professionals may need to use specialized tools to detect backdoors or use a log monitoring tool to inspect network packets. A developer can create a backdoor so that an application or operating system is accessible for troubleshooting or other purposes. However, attackers often use backdoors that they detect or install themselves as part of an exploit. In some cases, a worm or virus is designed to exploit a backdoor created by a previous attack. In recent decades, there have been a number of high-profile backdoor attacks.
Backdoors can be very different. For example, some are set up by legitimate providers, while others are introduced accidentally due to programming errors. Developers sometimes use backdoors during the development process, which are then not removed from production code. Also back door, “sneaky, shady, illegal”, 1640s. The term is that business is done out of the public eye. The noun rear door in the literal sense dates from the 1520s, from the back (adj.) + door. The association with sodomy dates from at least the 19th century; cf. also Backdoor Man “Lover of a Married Woman”, colloquial African-American language, early 20c. A backdoor is a way to access a computer system or encrypted data that bypasses the system`s usual security mechanisms. In late 2020, a cybersecurity company called FireEye discovered an extremely serious backdoor hidden in SolarWinds` Orion network management software updates. The attackers, believed to have originated at the nation-state level, used SolarWinds to enable an island-to-island attack in which malware was installed on the networks of Orion`s customers to gather information.
The U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) estimates that the attack began as early as March 2020 and that not all compromised organizations were targeted by the attacker for follow-up. Backdoors are also often set up by malware. A malicious module can act as a backdoor itself, or it can act as a front-line backdoor, meaning it acts as an intermediate platform to download other malicious modules designed for the actual attack. An undocumented way to access the computer system. A backdoor is a potential security risk. Source(s): CNSSI 4009-2015 NIST SP 800-12 Rev. 1 under the backdoor of NIST SP 800-82 Rev.
2 An undocumented means of accessing a computer system. A backdoor is a potential security risk. Source(s): NIST SP 1800-25B on NIST SP 800-82 Rev. 2 backdoor NIST SP 1800-26B on NIST SP 800-82 Rev. 2 backdoor backdoor NIST SP 800-82 Rev. 2 backdoor Malware that listens for commands on a specific TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) or User Datagram Protocol (UDP) port. Source(s): NIST SP 800-83 Rev. 1 under Backdoor In early 2021, a Dutch cybersecurity company discovered a secret backdoor account hard-coded into Zyxel firewalls and access point controllers (APs). The secret account allowed attackers to grant themselves administrative privileges, including the ability to change firewall settings and intercept traffic. The backdoor exploited a vulnerability in the credentials used to update the firewall and AP controller firmware.
Backdoors aren`t always software-based, nor are they always created by groups of fraudulent hackers. In 2013, German news agency Der Spiegel reported that the NSA`s Tailored Access Operations unit maintained a backdoor catalog to implant firewalls, routers and other devices for use abroad. The NSA has also reportedly integrated backdoor functions into individual hardware components such as hard drives and even USB cables. There are several strategies to avoid backdoor attacks. First, organizations need to adhere to security best practices, such as avoiding rogue software and ensuring that every device is protected by a firewall. Application firewalls can also help prevent backdoor attacks by limiting the traffic that can flow through open ports. It is also important to monitor network traffic for signatures that may indicate the presence of a backdoor. Whether it`s a management tool, an attacker, or a mechanism for the government to access encrypted data, a backdoor is a security risk because there are always threat actors looking for vulnerabilities to exploit. Encryption algorithms and network protocols can also, at least potentially, contain backdoors.
For example, in 2016, researchers described how prime numbers used in encryption algorithms could be designed in such a way that an adversary could factor the prime numbers of encryption algorithms previously considered secure, breaking the encryption. In 2014, a random number generation approach called Dual_EC_DRBG (Dual Elliptic Curve Deterministic Random Bit Generator) was found to have a flaw that makes the resulting random seed count somewhat predictable. The consensus of the security community was that the NSA allowed the use of the standard, even though it knew there was a weakness and could therefore use it as a backdoor. Supported by Black`s Law Dictionary, Free 2nd ed., and The Law Dictionary. Comments on the appearance and functionality of the glossary should be sent to secglossary@nist.gov. A process in which the BANK OF ENGLAND attempts to indirectly influence the British money supply by trading Treasury bills via its own account at market rates. See also FRONT DOOR. In her 2000 article “Who gets your trust?”, security consultant Carole Fennelly used an analogy to illustrate the situation: “Imagine approaching a building with a sophisticated security system that performs biology analysis, background checks and work. Someone who doesn`t have time to go through all of this might just upgrade a back exit so they can go out to smoke – and hope no one finds out. “Comments on specific definitions should be sent to the authors of the linked source publication.
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