backdoor

[bak-dawr]

noun

1. a door at the rear of a house, building, etc..

   Fans were waiting by the backdoor of the theater, hoping to catch a glimpse of the band.

2. a secret, furtive, or illicit manner or means.

   The business has a backdoor through which the board of directors can access slush fund money.

3. an indirect manner or means.

   Marriage counseling was a kind of backdoor into therapy, where I finally faced my dysfunctional relationship with my mother.

4. Computers.,  a secret access point or undocumented vulnerability in a software program, hardware component, or digital network, sometimes intentionally maintained as for remote developer access, but also sometimes created or exploited for unauthorized access by hackers.

   If half of all devices have disclosed backdoors, cybersecurity experts must assume that the number of devices affected by undisclosed or malicious backdoors is much higher.

5. Slang: Usually Vulgar.,  anus.

adjective

1. secret; furtive; illicit.

   Special interests pushed through a backdoor contract before the bidding period had expired.

2. indirect.

   The immigration reform bill included backdoor amnesty for employed undocumented residents.

3. Computers.,  relating to, using, or noting an indirect access point into a network, computer, or program.

   Hackers used a Trojan horse to establish backdoor access to the mainframe.

4. Slang: Vulgar.,  anal.

Word History and Origins

Origin of backdoor¹

First recorded in 1520–30; back ¹ ( def. ) + door

Example Sentences

But it was Wales who reacted best, Rogers scooping up a Dan Edwards pass out of the backdoor to cross for a five pointer the outside-half also converted.

Read more on Barron's

Accordingly, the backdoor enabled him to access anyone’s Google account and private information,” the lawsuit says.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

ICBC’s correspondent ties with major American banks provide dollar access—creating a potential backdoor to evade sanctions and reach U.S. markets through Chinese intermediaries.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

I will be starting a backdoor Roth for my wife this year and continue to contribute mine.

Read more on MarketWatch

Bilodeau was especially active in the early going, swatting a shot, scoring on a backdoor layup and drawing a foul on a hanging jumper as the Bruins surged into a 15-5 lead.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• classified 
• covert 
• furtive 
• hush-hush 
• mysterious 
• obscure 
• private 
• secluded 
• undercover 
• underground 
• undisclosed 
• unknown 
• unpublished