WHAT IS TROJAN HORSE COMPUTER DEFINITION?
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Loading...The term “trojan horse” is derived from the classic Greek story about the Trojan War. Trojan horse malware works similarly to the stealthy Trojan horse that led to the destruction of the Kingdom of Troy.
In this article, we’ll discuss the trojan horse computer definition, how it works, and how you can prevent it.
TROJAN HORSE COMPUTER DEFINITION
The basic trojan horse computer definition is a malicious application disguised as legitimate software. It may seem safe and genuine, but it is actually harmful to computers.
HOW DOES TROJAN HORSE COMPUTER DEFINITION WORK?
Depending on the trojan horse computer definition, it can pretend to be a useful program such as Adobe flash player, a software update, or a mobile app. The trojan horse flashes on screen to lure in users into installing it. Once installed, the trojan horse works silently in the background.
A trojan horse modifies the security setting of the computer to bypass normal authentication, enabling it to function without restrictions.
A trojan horse computer definition serves as a portal of other types of malware threats. Because it can perfectly conceal its true intent, hackers bundle a trojan horse with other dangerous types of malware, often spyware. A trojan horse can activate the spyware embedded in it and install ransomware, which encrypts valuable files and then demands a ransom.
A trojan horse is also known for creating backdoor access on the computer, allowing the hacker to control the computer without being exposed. Therefore, the hacker can monitor the user’s activity and steal personal information without the user’s knowledge.
With a trojan horse on your computer, your personal information, privacy, and valuable files can be compromised.
Now that you have a better understanding of a trojan horse computer definition and how it works, let’s discuss the different ways on how to prevent trojan horse.
HOW TO PREVENT TROJAN HORSE COMPUTER DEFINITION
Stop Downloading Cracked Software
You may inadvertently download a trojan horse disguised as cracked software. To prevent this, download verified applications only. Cracked software is free, but you are at risk of a trojan horse infection.
Stop Visiting Non-secure Websites
A trojan horse computer definition often lurks on non-secure websites waiting for its victim. Non-secure websites have low authentication, allowing hackers to inject malware more easily, including a trojan horse infection. If you want to check the reputation of the website, you may use third-party URL scanners such as Xcitium Website Inspector.
Keep Software Up to Date
A trojan horse exploits system vulnerabilities, going through unpatched and outdated software. To prevent trojan horse infections keep your computer updated by installing updates when they become available. Don’t run outdated software, because you will be at risk of malware attacks when you go online.
Avoid Opening Suspicious Emails
Hackers also attach a trojan horse computer definition to malicious emails that pretend to be legitimate. If you do not know the sender and the email seems suspicious, avoid opening it. Some emails are designed to install a trojan horse and other types of malware the moment the user opens the email, without having to download the attachment. Also, take caution with spam. It is the leading cause of malware infections.
Install Anti Malware Software
A trojan horse can be prevented from accessing the computer if there’s anti malware software installed on it. Even if a trojan horse is disguised as a genuine application, the anti malware software can still detect it.
The anti malware software scans the file signature before it allows any file to run on the computer. If the signature is found in the list of known virus codes, the anti malware software will block the file.
If trojan horse computer definition evades signature-based detection, the anti malware software will monitor the behavioral patterns of the application. If it shows any malicious behavior, it will be contained and destroyed inside the sandbox.
Installing anti malware software is essential today because varieties of malware are spread on the internet. Without anti malware software installed on the computer, you can easily fall victim to malware attacks.
Conclusion
Trojan horse computer definition is stealthy malware but there are ways to prevent it. Since a trojan horse often pretends to be legitimate software, you need a trusted anti malware software that can easily identify fake software. Also, take caution when you go online. This will prevent a trojan horse infection.
Endpoint devices are also at risk of infections of trojan horse computer definition. Click here to learn how you can protect your endpoint devices from trojan horse attacks.