02/05/2021
What is a backdoor?
A refers to any method by which authorized and unauthorized users are able to get around normal security measures and gain high level user access (aka root access) on a computer system, network, or software application.
How do backdoors work?
backdoor comes as a result of malware or by an intentional manufacturing (hardware or software) decision.
classes of backdoor .
1) Backdoor malware.
Backdoor malware is generally classified as a Trojan. A Trojan is a malicious computer program pretending to be something it's not for the purposes of delivering malware, stealing data, or opening up a backdoor on your system. Much like the Trojan horse .
2) Built-in or proprietary backdoors
Built-in or proprietary backdoors are put in place by the hardware and software makers themselves. Unlike backdoor malware, built-in backdoors aren't necessarily conceived with some criminal purpose in mind. More often than not, built-in backdoors exist as artifacts of the software creation process.
Are backdoors and exploits the same?
👽Exploits are accidental software vulnerabilities used to gain access to your computer and, potentially, deploy some sort of malware….
👹Backdoors, on the other hand, are deliberately put in place by manufacturers or cybercriminals to get into and out of a system at will.”
What can hackers do with a backdoor?
Hackers can use a backdoor to install all manner of malware on your computer.
1) is a type of malware that, once deployed on your system, collects information about you, the sites you visit on the Internet, the things you download, the files you open, usernames, passwords, and anything else of value.
2) is a type of malware designed to encrypt your files and lock down your computer. In order to get back those precious photos, documents, etc. (or whatever file type the attackers choose to target) you have to pay the attackers via some form of , usually .
3) malware is designed to use your system's resources to mine cryptocurrency. In short, every time someone exchanges cryptocurrency the transaction is recorded on an encrypted virtual ledger known as the blockchain. is the process of validating these online transactions in exchange for more cryptocurrency and it takes an enormous amount of computing power.
How can I protect against backdoors?
1) your default .
The hardworking people in your company's IT department never intended for your actual password to be "guest" or "12345." If you leave that default password in place, you've unwittingly created a backdoor. Change it as soon as possible and enable multi-factor authentication.
2) network activity.
Any weird data spikes could mean someone is using a backdoor on your system. To stop this, use firewalls to track inbound and outbound activity from the various applications installed on your computer.
3) applications and plugins carefully.
As we've covered, cybercriminals like to hide backdoors inside of seemingly benign free apps and plugins. The best defense here is to make sure whatever apps and plugins you choose come from a reputable source.
4) a good solution.
Any good -malware solution should be able to stop from deploying the and rootkits used to open up those pesky backdoors.
Conclusion
Good news bad news. The bad news is that it's difficult to identify and protect yourself against built-in backdoors. More often than not, the manufacturers don't even know the backdoor is there. The good news is that there are things you can do to protect yourself from the other kinds of backdoors.
