backdoor attack
Hidden entry exploit
A backdoor attack is a cyberattack that exploits a hidden entry point in software or a system—either one deliberately built in by developers or one secretly installed by malware.
The attacker bypasses normal authentication to gain unauthorized access: The breach was traced to a backdoor attack that had gone undetected for months.
The term draws on the image of entering through a back door rather than the front.
- exploitNotable act or abuse
- zero dayUndiscovered security flaw
- vulnerabilityOpenness to harm
- security holeSoftware flaw enabling unauthorized access
- hackerUnauthorized system accessor
nation state · malware · intrusion · rootkit · breach · payload · covert · stealth · man in the middle · remote · remote access · access · command and control · shell · infiltration · compromise · supply chain · encryption