Backdoor (computing) facts for kids

In computing, a backdoor is a way of bypassing security mechanisms to gain access to a resource that is otherwise secured. Backdoors give illegal access to an otherwise secured resource. A common example for a backdoor is the existence of default passwords which can be used to access the BIOS of a computer. Very often, special programs that run on a computer provide the functionality of a backdoor.

List of known backdoors in standards

• the MD2 algorithm was found in the 1996 announcement of RFC6149 to have a backdoor
• Ron Rivest's MD4 hash was found in the 2011 announcement of RFC6150 to have a backdoor
• Rivest's MD5 hash was shown to have several weaknesses in 1996 by Hans Dobbertin
• SHA-0 (aka FIPS-180) was withdrawn after CRYPTO '98
• SHA-1 (aka FIPS-180-1) was shown to be attackable in 2005 by Eli Biham and co-authors, as well as Vincent Rijmen and Elisabeth Oswald
• The Dual_EC_DRBG cryptographically secure pseudorandom number generator was revealed in 2013 to have a kleptographic backdoor deliberately inserted by NSA, who also had the private key to the backdoor.

Images for kids

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  Marked in yellow: backdoor admin password hidden in the code

See also

In Spanish: Puerta trasera para niños