A MALICIOUS computer program that can take over the computer running it has
been released on the Internet. The program allows hackers to secretly control a
machine over a local network or the Internet.
The program, which can affect computers running Microsoft Windows 95 or 98,
was released earlier this month by a group of hackers calling themselves the
Cult of the Dead Cow. So far, about 50 000 people have downloaded the program
from its website, the group claims. The program is called Back Orifice, a
reference to a Microsoft program called Back Office.
A copy can be placed on a machine without the legitimate user鈥檚 knowledge, or
a user may download and run Back Orifice without realising what it is. 鈥淥nce it
launches itself on a system, the other guy is controlling that system like a
puppet,鈥� says Dan Takata, a security analyst with Internet Security Systems, an
Atlanta company which has released a virus checker that scans for the
program.
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To take over a computer that has Back Orifice installed on it, a hacker would
use other Back Orifice software to track down someone who is running the
program. The hacker could then do everything that the legitimate user can do and
more鈥攆rom installing software to viewing passwords鈥攂ut without the
legitimate user ever knowing.
In a statement, members of the Cult of the Dead Cow said they were releasing
the program to draw attention to what they claim are security flaws in
Microsoft鈥檚 Windows operating system. Takata says the program can do all the
group claims, and is definitely a danger. But he also says the security problems
exploited aren鈥檛 unique to Windows. 鈥淚t goes with the territory,鈥� he says.
鈥淏asically, the only way you can completely secure your system is not to have it
肠辞苍苍别肠迟别诲.鈥�