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by mordocai 3567 days ago
I think you are spot on for rootkit, but you are absolutely wrong on backdoor.

You say "This conversation is the best possible example of why we can't allow the corruption of previously well defined words - it causes confusion for no good reason." when YOU(and others like you) are the one corrupting the meaning of backdoor.

Backdoor has meant for ages to be a way to access a computer/program while bypassing the normal authentication method, whether added by the designer or by someone else. You are trying to redefine it to mean only methods of bypassing normal authentication added by the designer. If you find it confusing that both types of backdoor are backdoors, then make up a new word that can be considered a subtype of backdoor don't try to coop an existing word and change its meaning.
1 comments
woodman 3567 days ago
> ... whether added by the designer or by someone else.

Your exception seems to hing on the word designer. I'd describe the individual responsible placing the backdoor as the designer. So if you place a modified version of /usr/sbin/sshd, then you've designed the backdoor for that system. I see no redefinition.

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mordocai 3567 days ago
Your post further up in the thread:

> Calling BO a backdoor is a major corruption of the word, as you loose the only word for describing intentionally weakened security - so that you may describe a thing which already has several more explicitly defining names: malware, trojan, dropper, etc.

Thinking in that context, it sounded like you were arguing further for the fact that backdoors should only be describing intentionally weakened security. Have you changed your mind about that?

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woodman 3567 days ago
> Have you changed your mind about that?

No. Unlike a rootkit, context really matters in the case of a backdoor - not so much the implementation means. BO is no more a backdoor than vnc or sshd. Now if Dell decides to secretly package BO in their product line, then it is a backdoor.

> ...backdoors should only be describing intentionally weakened security.

I can't think of a backdoor that does not meet that description, do you have anything in mind?

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