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Back Orifice RAT
Back Orifice is a notorious remote administration tool released in the late 1990s, primarily known for its exploitation as a Trojan horse. It allows remote control of a Windows system, often without the user’s knowledge or consent, enabling malicious actors to access files, monitor user activity, and manipulate system configurations. Due to its ease of deployment and stealthy capabilities, it has historically been a popular choice for attackers targeting vulnerable systems..
Back Orifice (often abbreviated as BO) is a software tool originally developed by the hacker collective Cult of the Dead Cow. Designed ostensibly as a legitimate remote administration tool for Windows systems, it quickly gained infamy as a Remote Access Trojan (RAT) due to its ability to install itself surreptitiously on a victim’s machine. Once active, it allows the remote controller to execute commands, browse the file system, manipulate processes, and perform keylogging, among other functions.
Operating primarily over TCP port 31337, Back Orifice establishes a backdoor which listens for connections initiated by the attacker’s client interface. Communication occurs via a custom binary protocol which supports various administrative commands. The tool’s server component is typically installed covertly on the victim’s system, exploiting social engineering techniques or other malware to gain an initial foothold.
Since its release, Back Orifice has served as a prototype for many subsequent RATs, highlighting fundamental remote exploitation techniques that are still employed today. Although the tool itself is now largely obsolete, its design and operational concepts continue to resonate in modern malware families targeting remote administration vulnerabilities.