What Is A Backdoor Attack?
(And How To Prevent Them)

Learn how PurpleSec can help mitigate the latest cyber attacks and improve security ROI.

Authors: Jason Firch, MBA / Last updated: 10/18/22

Reviewed By: Michael Swanagan, CISSP, CISA, CISM

View Our: Editorial Process

A backdoor attack is a breach where hackers install malware that can surpass a network’s standard security requirements to access a system. You can prevent a back door attack by implementing a solution to detect untrusted software on endpoints, a network monitoring tool, ensuring every device is protected by a host firewall and using an Anti-virus solution.

What Is A Backdoor Attack?

A Backdoor attack is mounted on malware that negates routine authentication procedures to access a system.

As a result, remote access is granted to resources within an application, such as databases and file servers, giving perpetrators the ability to remotely issue system commands and update malware.

Backdoor Installation is achieved by taking advantage of vulnerable components in a web application.

Once installed, detection is difficult as files tend to be highly obfuscated.

Often, Backdoors are used for a number of malicious activities, including:

• Data theft
• Sever Hijacking
• Website defacing
• DDoS attacks
• Advanced persistent threats

The impacts of these actions can be highly detrimental and once access to such a deep and crucial level is obtained, damage possibilities are endless.

Backdoor attacks are typically using malware or using backdoor-specific software/hardware.

Why Backdoors Are Dangerous

Backdoor malware has the ability to seamlessly go undetected as it pretends to be something else. Its behavioral abilities consist of threats like worms.

This allows this malware to become competent to replicate and expand to other systems as well.

Other Backdoor attacks are rooted in built-in backdoors that software developers create to gain instant access to the application/software in order to patch and fix software bugs.

The Threat Of Backdoors

Backdoors present a lot of complicated problems for applications user because most of them are designed to go undetected.

Unknowing you may have acquired software that grants adversaries access to your PC or device.

According to Statista, the most commonly encountered type of malware attack worldwide are backdoor attacks accounting for 37% of all detected attacks.

Example Of A Backdoor Attack

Solarwinds is a well-known example of a backdoor attack.

Related Content: The Latest Data Breaches In 2022

In this, hackers used malware that created a backdoor to customers’ information technology systems. Hackers then used this to install even more malware that helped spy and steal data.

The SolarWinds attack exposed 18,000 clients after they downloaded and installed tainted software. The attack was reportedly carried out by The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service.

The breach was first detected by a cyber security company that identified the backdoor used to gain access to SolarWinds systems.

SolarWinds has committed over $90 million in relief funds to absolve this, making it one of the most significant cyber security attacks ever.

How Do You Prevent Backdoor Attacks?

A few security actions you can take to prevent a backdoor include:

• Using an Anti-virus solution.
• Implementing a network monitoring tool.
• Implementing a solution to detect untrusted software on endpoints.
• Ensuring that every device is protected by a host firewall

Developing and enforcing a strong network monitoring policy is also essential for preventing backdoors.

Make sure you audit security solutions, update and patch the network daily, monitor the network, and implement a zero-trust policy protected by multi-factor authentication protection.

In addition, we recommend implementing an anti-malware infrastructure solution.

Next, change company passwords and monitor to maintain a strict policy around this. Default passwords in place unwittingly create backdoors in the organization’s systems.

Finally, use firewalls and download with care online.

A strong firewall can help protect you against attacks like backdoor viruses and block any suspicious applications trying to send your sensitive data to an unknown network location.

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