Draft:WinROOT
Submission declined on 29 May 2025 by Scaledish (talk).
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Comment: WP:NSOFT. Current citations are just notices or presumably non-WP:RS. Scaledish! Talkish? Statish.14:08, 29 May 2025 (UTC)
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 Server control window in WinROOT 1.40 by dem0nseed of The DMF Crew | |
| Developer(s) | Matthew R. Walsh (alias: dem0nseed of DMF Crew) |
|---|---|
| Stable release | 1.43
/ 2001 |
| Operating system | Microsoft Windows (95/98) |
| Type | Remote administration |
| License | Freeware / Underground distribution |
WinROOT is a remote administration and backdoor program developed in the early 2000s for Microsoft Windows systems. Written in Visual Basic 6 by Matthew R. Walsh, using the alias dem0nseed of The DMF Crew, the tool gained widespread popularity in underground hacker forums as a stealthy successor to NetBus and Back Orifice.
Initially developed when the author was just 14 years old, WinROOT became one of the most distributed underground administration tools of its time. It was posted on notable exploit and warez hubs such as mc2.nu, altavista.box.sk, hack.box.sk, and discussed on message boards affiliated with the Phone Losers of America (PLA). The program was later flagged and classified as malware by major security vendors, including Microsoft, McAfee, Sophos, and Symantec.
Overview
[edit]WinROOT used a client–server architecture. The server executable, once deployed to a victim's machine, ran silently as a background process and listened on TCP port 8723. It modified the Windows registry to auto-start with each system reboot and allowed optional password protection.
The client application featured a GUI resembling a hybrid of Windows Explorer and featured a custom DOS-style terminal that took program commands as well as relay DOS shell commands by redirecting stdin/stdout through P-Invoke, giving a high degree of control over the infected system.
Features
[edit]System Control
[edit]- Shut down, restart, lock workstation
- Retrieve system and user info
- Keystroke injection
- Run programs or MS-DOS commands
- Disable Ctrl+Alt+Del
- Browse file system
- Upload/download files
Remote Interaction
[edit]- Real-time chat with remote user
- AOL Instant Messenger spoofing
- Join/modify chatroom presence
- Send arbitrary text to active window
- Open URLs or launch scripts
Stealth and Configuration
[edit]- Password-protect host access
- Hidden operation mode
- Built-in password bypass utility (reset server password to "admin")
Compatibility
[edit]WinROOT was designed for use on:
Distribution and Detection
[edit]WinROOT became widely distributed in the early 2000s as NetBus and Back Orifice were increasingly blacklisted by antivirus software. Due to its smaller footprint, customizable features, and active underground support, it was seen as a stealthier, more flexible alternative.
It was eventually detected in about 2005 and classified as malware by major vendors:
- MegaSecurity – WinROOT 1.43
- Microsoft Malware Encyclopedia – Backdoor:Win32/Winroot
- Sophos Threat Center – Win32/Winroot-A
- McAfee AVERT Labs (archived threat database)
- Symantec/Norton Antivirus definitions (historical RAT database)
Legacy
[edit]WinROOT is regarded as a notable tool in the lineage of early remote administration and trojan software for Windows. Released during a period when other tools such as NetBus and Back Orifice were being increasingly blocked by antivirus software, WinROOT gained traction due to its relatively small footprint, modular architecture, and initially lower detection rate.[1]
Its inclusion in multiple malware encyclopedias—including those maintained by Microsoft,[2] Sophos,[3] and others—solidified its recognition within both underground forums and mainstream security circles.
The program’s developer, using the handle dem0nseed of The DMF Crew, was also credited with developing related tools, including crax0r, a programmable exploit launcher distributed on the same platforms.[4] These tools circulated widely on archive sites such as mc2.nu and box.sk, now defunct but influential in distributing early Windows-based remote control software.
A personal anecdote from the developer, posted to the Phone Losers of America forum in 2007, reflects the hands-on, exploratory mindset of the time:
"I dusted off and tried my redbox outside of a Circle K gas station in southwest Florida and it dumped out 75 cents. I was so excited that I ran away and didn't even try to make a call :)" — PhoneLosers.com, August 17, 2007
WinROOT remains a historically relevant example of early 2000s underground software engineering, representing the blurred line between prank-oriented utilities and unauthorized remote control software.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "MegaSecurity - WinROOT 1.43". Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ "Microsoft Malware Encyclopedia – Backdoor:Win32/Winroot". Microsoft. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ "Sophos Threat Analysis – Win32/Winroot-A". Retrieved 2025-05-29.
- ^ "Redboxing Stories". Phone Losers of America. 2007-08-17. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
External links
[edit]- MegaSecurity page on WinROOT
- Microsoft Security Encyclopedia – WinROOT
- Sophos Threat Analysis – WinROOT
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