Back Orifice (often shortened to BO) is a
computer program
A computer program is a sequence or set of instructions in a programming language for a computer to Execution (computing), execute. It is one component of software, which also includes software documentation, documentation and other intangibl ...
designed for
remote system administration. It enables a user to control a
computer
A computer is a machine that can be Computer programming, programmed to automatically Execution (computing), carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations (''computation''). Modern digital electronic computers can perform generic set ...
running the
Microsoft Windows
Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...
operating system from a remote location.
[Richtel, Matt.]
Hacker Group Says Program Can Exploit Microsoft Security Hole
" ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' August 4, 1998. Retrieved April 24, 2007. The name is a
play on words on
Microsoft BackOffice Server software. It can also control multiple computers at the same time using imaging.
Back Orifice has a
client–server architecture. A small and unobtrusive server program is on one machine, which is remotely manipulated by a client program with a
graphical user interface
A graphical user interface, or GUI, is a form of user interface that allows user (computing), users to human–computer interaction, interact with electronic devices through Graphics, graphical icon (computing), icons and visual indicators such ...
on another computer system. The two components communicate with one another using the
TCP and/or
UDP network protocols. In reference to the
Leet phenomenon, this program commonly runs on
port
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manch ...
31337.
The program debuted at
DEF CON 6 on August 1, 1998 and was the brainchild of
Sir Dystic, a member of the U.S.
hacker
A hacker is a person skilled in information technology who achieves goals and solves problems by non-standard means. The term has become associated in popular culture with a security hackersomeone with knowledge of bug (computing), bugs or exp ...
organization
Cult of the Dead Cow. According to the group, its purpose was to demonstrate the lack of security in
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company, technology conglomerate headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Founded in 1975, the company became influential in the History of personal computers#The ear ...
's
Windows 9x
Windows 9x is a generic term referring to a line of discontinued Microsoft Windows operating systems released from 1995 to 2000 and supported until 2006, which were based on the kernel introduced in Windows 95 and modified in succeeding version ...
series of operating systems.
Although Back Orifice has legitimate purposes, such as
remote administration, other factors make it suitable for illicit uses. The server can hide from cursory looks by users of the system. Since the server can be installed without user interaction, it can be distributed as the payload of a
Trojan horse
In Greek mythology, the Trojan Horse () was a wooden horse said to have been used by the Greeks during the Trojan War to enter the city of Troy and win the war. The Trojan Horse is not mentioned in Homer, Homer's ''Iliad'', with the poem ending ...
.
For those and other reasons, the
antivirus
Antivirus software (abbreviated to AV software), also known as anti-malware, is a computer program used to prevent, detect, and remove malware.
Antivirus software was originally developed to detect and remove computer viruses, hence the name ...
industry immediately categorized the tool as
malware
Malware (a portmanteau of ''malicious software'')Tahir, R. (2018)A study on malware and malware detection techniques . ''International Journal of Education and Management Engineering'', ''8''(2), 20. is any software intentionally designed to caus ...
and appended Back Orifice to their quarantine lists. Despite this fact, it was widely used by
script kiddies because of its simple
GUI and ease of installation.
Two sequel applications followed it,
Back Orifice 2000, released in 1999, and Deep Back Orifice by French Canadian hacking group QHA.
See also
*
Back Orifice 2000
*
Sub7
*
Trojan horse (computing)
In computing, a trojan horse (or simply trojan; often capitalized, but see below) is a kind of malware that misleads users as to its true intent by disguising itself as a normal program.
Trojans are generally spread by some form of social engin ...
*
Malware
Malware (a portmanteau of ''malicious software'')Tahir, R. (2018)A study on malware and malware detection techniques . ''International Journal of Education and Management Engineering'', ''8''(2), 20. is any software intentionally designed to caus ...
*
Backdoor (computing)
*
Rootkit
*
MiniPanzer and MegaPanzer
*
File binder
File binders are utility software that allow a user to "bind" multiple files together, resulting in a single executable. They are commonly used by Hacker (computer security), hackers to insert other programs such as Trojan horse (computing), Troja ...
References
External links
*
{{Cult of the Dead Cow
Common trojan horse payloads
Windows remote administration software
Cult of the Dead Cow software