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Glite Dictionary
back-door bandit

back-door bandit

9.9
A person who secretly breaks into computer systems to steal information
  • noun
  • /ˈbækˌdɔr ˈbændɪt/
  • US
translation icon : pirata informático
  • After the breach, investigators discovered a back-door bandit had accessed customer accounts for weeks.

Examples

  • The company improved its cybersecurity to defend against any back-door bandit trying to steal sensitive data.

  • The IT manager warned staff about phishing scams used by a typical back-door bandit.

  • The back-door bandit was caught stealing sensitive data.

  • Have you heard about the back-door bandits targeting local businesses?

  • After the breach, investigators discovered that a back-door bandit had accessed customer accounts for weeks.

  • The company improved its cybersecurity to defend against any back-door bandit trying to steal sensitive data.

  • The IT manager warned staff about phishing scams used by a typical back-door bandit.

Synonyms

infiltrator
vsback-door bandit
12 8.2

A person who secretly enters a place to get secret information or cause harm

works in cyberspace exploiting hidden software flaws rather than physical entry
cracker
vsback-door bandit
  • Specialized
8 9.3

A person who breaks computer security to steal or damage data

focuses on exploiting hidden vulnerabilities rather than direct break ins
cybercriminal
vsback-door bandit
  • Texting
1 5.2

A person who uses computers or the internet to do illegal things

is more specific, targeting hidden vulnerabilities to gain system access
exploiter
vsback-door bandit
  • Specialized
8.9

A person who finds and uses software weaknesses to break into computer systems

is focused on using hidden vulnerabilities to enter systems illegally

Surface Forms

back-door bandit singular
back-door bandits plural

Morphology

back-door + bandit

The meaning is directly compositional: 'back-door' conveys a hidden or secret entry and 'bandit' denotes a thief, so together they describe someone who gains access illicitly via a covert entry. The 'back door' metaphor for secret access is common across languages and follows normal English compounding, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words can reasonably infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Back-door bandit comes from the image of a thief slipping in through a building's back-door so the bandit can steal without being seen. That picture helps explain the modern use: it describes someone who 'breaks in' to computers 'secretly' to steal data.