shellcode

noun

shellcode

noun

Etymology From shell + code.

1

Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences A small piece of code, used as the payload of a virus or other malware, that launches a shell so that the attacker can control the compromised computer.

  • In ELF executables, there aren't a whole lot of code caves (such as in the PE format), so you are not likely to be able to shove more than just a meager amount of shellcode into existing code slots […]2016, Ryan "elfmaster" O'Neill, Learning Linux Binary Analysis (page 97)
Related terms
egg, omelette, spray

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.