What are Backdoor Attacks?
Backdoors were originally nothing more than ways for software developers to make sure they could get into an application even if normal access methods were stopped in the future. A hard-coded password, for instance, could be used to get into the program if administrators forgot their own system password. The issue here is that it cannot be removed if it is hard-coded. A backdoor is a term used in cybersecurity to describe any way that authorized and unauthorized users can circumvent standard security measures and gain root (or high level) user access to a computer system, network, or software application.
Cybercriminals can use a backdoor to gain access, install additional malware, steal personal and financial data, and hijack devices. In addition, the term “backdoor” refers to programs that intruders install after gaining unauthorized access to a system in order to guarantee that they will continue to have unrestricted access to the system despite the fact that their initial method of access will be discovered and blocked.
One of the most notorious examples of cybercriminals utilizing backdoors is the PoisonTap situation. When plugged into a computer’s USB port, the payment card-sized computer intercepts all unencrypted Web traffic, including private account authentication cookies. After that, PoisonTap sends that data to a server controlled by the attacker. A backdoor that allows the attacker to remotely control the owner’s local network and Web browser is also installed as part of the hack. The Raspberry Pi device transforms into a miniature Linux computer that appears to be an Ethernet network after the PoisonTap software is installed. Through the dynamic host configuration protocol, it is accountable for allocating IP addresses for the local network, just like a router. The device becomes the gateway for sending and receiving local network traffic during this process.
