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Encyclopedia > Back Orifice
  Back Orifice

screenshot of the Back Orifice client
Maintainer: Sir Dystic (cDc)
Latest release: 1.20 / August 3, 1998
OS: Microsoft Windows,
UNIX-systems (client only)
Genre: remote administration, trojan horse
License: freeware,
(open source UNIX client)
Website: Back Orifice Homepage

Back Orifice (often shortened to BO) is a controversial computer program designed for remote system administration. It enables a user to control a computer running the Microsoft Windows operating system from a remote location. The name is a pun on Microsoft BackOffice Server software. Image File history File links Boscreenshot. ... Software maintenance is one of the activities in software engineering, and is the process of enhancing and optimizing deployed software (software release), as well as remedying defects. ... Sir Dystic, a member of CULT OF THE DEAD COW, is the author of Back Orifice. ... cDc Paramedia Logo CULT OF THE DEAD COW, also known as cDc, is a computer hacker and DIY media organization founded in 1984 in Lubbock, Texas. ... A software release is to create a new version of the system or program and release it to the user community. ... An operating system is a special computer program that manages the relationship between application software, the wide variety of hardware that makes up a computer system, and the user of the system. ... Microsoft Windows is a series of popular proprietary operating environments and operating systems created by Microsoft for use on personal computers and servers. ... Wikibooks has more about this subject: Guide to Unix Unix or UNIX is a computer operating system originally developed in the 1960s and 1970s by a group of AT&T Bell Labs employees including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, and Douglas McIlroy. ... A software genre is a classification of software by its common function, type or topic. ... The term remote administration generally refers to any method of remotely controlling a computer. ... In the context of computer software, a Trojan horse is a malicious program that is disguised as legitimate software. ... A software license is a type of proprietary or gratuitous license as well as a memorandum of contract between a producer and a user of computer software — sometimes called an End User License Agreement (EULA) — that specifies the perimeters of the permission granted by the owner to the user. ... Freeware is copyrighted computer software which is made available free of charge, as opposed to shareware where the user is required to pay. ... Open source refers to projects that are open to the public and which draw on other projects that are freely available to the general public. ... Wikibooks has more about this subject: Guide to Unix Unix or UNIX is a computer operating system originally developed in the 1960s and 1970s by a group of AT&T Bell Labs employees including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, and Douglas McIlroy. ... The front page of the English Wikipedia Website. ... Image File history File links Back Orifice logo File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... A computer program or software program (usually abbreviated to a program) is a step-by-step list of instructions written for a particular computer architecture in a particular computer programming language. ... The term remote administration generally refers to any method of remotely controlling a computer. ... Microsoft Windows is a series of popular proprietary operating environments and operating systems created by Microsoft for use on personal computers and servers. ... A pun (also known as paronomasia) is a figure of speech which consists of a deliberate confusion of similar words or phrases for rhetorical effect, whether humorous or serious. ... Microsoft BackOffice Server was a family of bundled servers and operating system sold during the 1990s and early 2000s. ...


Back Orifice was designed with a client-server architecture. A small and unobtrusive server program is installed on one machine, which is remotely manipulated by a client program with a graphical user interface on another computer system. The two components communicate with one another using the TCP and/or UDP network protocols. In a reference to the growing Leet phenomenon, this program commonly runs on port 31337. Client/Server is a network application architecture which separates the client (usually the graphical user interface) from the server. ... A graphical user interface (or GUI, sometimes pronounced gooey) is a method of interacting with a computer through a metaphor of direct manipulation of graphical images and widgets in addition to text. ... The Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is one of the core protocols of the Internet protocol suite. ... The User Datagram Protocol (UDP) is one of the core protocols of the Internet protocol suite. ... In computing and telecommunications, the transport layer is layer four of the seven layer OSI model. ... Leet (or 1337) is a linguistic phenomenon associated with the underground culture centered on telecommunications, manifested primarily on the Internet. ... In computing, a port (derived from seaport) is usually an interface through which data are sent and received. ...


The program debuted at DEF CON 6 on August 1, 1998. It was the brainchild of Sir Dystic, a member of the U.S. hacker organization CULT OF THE DEAD COW. According to the group, its purpose was to demonstrate the lack of security in Microsoft's operating system Windows 98. DEF CON is the worlds largest annual hacker convention, held every year in Las Vegas, Nevada. ... August 1 is the 213th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (214th in leap years), with 152 days remaining. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... Sir Dystic, a member of CULT OF THE DEAD COW, is the author of Back Orifice. ... For other uses, see Hacker (disambiguation). ... cDc Paramedia Logo CULT OF THE DEAD COW, also known as cDc, is a computer hacker and DIY media organization founded in 1984 in Lubbock, Texas. ... Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT, SEHK: 4338) is an international computer technology corporation with 2005 global annual sales of close to $40 billion USD and about 64,000 employees in 85 countries and regions which develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of software products for computing devices. ... An operating system is a special computer program that manages the relationship between application software, the wide variety of hardware that makes up a computer system, and the user of the system. ... Windows 98 (codename Memphis) is a graphical operating system released on June 25, 1998 by Microsoft. ...


Until recently, the versions of Microsoft Windows designed for the public were single-user desktop operating systems, which were never designed to function as secure networking platforms. Despite this, Microsoft marketed Windows as the preferred solution for computer users primarily interested in accessing the Internet. The strategy worked, and Windows enjoyed extremely high market penetration. As a result of the proliferation of Windows systems across the Internet, the operating system was ideally suited for the demonstration of a hacker tool. Desktop computer with several common peripherals (Monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers, microphone and a printer) A desktop computer is an independent personal computer that is made especially for use on a desk in an office or home. ...


Although Back Orifice has legitimate purposes, such as remote administration, there are other factors that make it suited for less benign business. The server can hide itself from cursory looks by users of the system. If wrapped inside a Trojan horse, it can be installed without trouble and used as an attack point or just to spy on or harass the unsuspecting user. The term remote administration generally refers to any method of remotely controlling a computer. ... In the context of computer software, a Trojan horse is a malicious program that is disguised as legitimate software. ...


For those and other reasons, the antivirus industry immediately categorized the tool as malware and appended Back Orifice to their quarantine lists. Despite this fact, it was widely used by script kiddies because of its simple UI and ease of installation. Anti-virus software consists of computer programs that attempt to identify, thwart and eliminate computer viruses and other malicious software (malware). ... Malware is software designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system, without the owners consent. ... In computing, a script kiddie (occasionally script bunny, script kitty or skiddie) is a derogatory term for inexperienced crackers who use scripts and programs developed by others, without knowing what they are or how they work, for the purpose of compromising computer accounts and files, and for launching attacks on...


A sequel application, Back Orifice 2000 was released in 1999. Back Orifice 2000 (often shortened to BO2k) is a computer program designed for remote system administration. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...


External links

Remote administration software
Apple Remote Desktop | Back Orifice | Back Orifice 2000 | Microsoft Systems Management Server | NetBus
Remote Desktop Protocol | RM-X General Purpose Control | Sub7 | Timbuktu | Virtual Network Computing

  Results from FactBites:
 
Back Orifice (348 words)
Back Orifice is a computer program, specifically a controversial remote administration tool[?], which enables a person to operate from over the network a computer running the Windows operating system.
Although Back Orifice has legitimate purposes, such as remote administration[?], there are other factors that make it suited for less benign business.
Back Orifice was followed by Back Orifice 2000 in 1999.
Microsoft Alerts Customers to Potential Security Threat: Q&A with Jason Garms, lead product manager for Windows NT ... (1241 words)
Back Orifice 2000 is a new version of Back Orifice, which was released in July 1998, and threatened users of the Windows 95 and Windows 98 operating systems.
Back Orifice, however, is designed to be stealthy and evade detection by the user.
Back Orifice falls into that category because it is intentionally designed to hide itself from detection.
  More results at FactBites »


 
 

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