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Definition: Trojan or Trojan horse is the name given to a computer virus. It is a type of computer software that is camouflaged in the form of regular software such as utilities, games and sometimes even antivirus programs. Once it runs on the computer, it causes problems like killing background system processes, deleting hard drive data and corrupting file allocation systems.
Description: Mostly Trojans are introduced via email attachments. These emails are disguised in a way that they look authentic. Once the user downloads the attached file and runs it, the file starts corrupting the system. A Trojan can also come as a payload with freeware and shareware available on the Internet. Although every freeware doesn't come with Trojan, it is still advised that one should download software and freeware from authentic sources only. It is also imperative that you be very careful while making the selections at the time of installation. Trojans can have multiple usages, which depend on the motives of the attacker. These could be identity theft, data theft, crashing computers, spying or tracking user activities. Generally, Trojans are identified by most anti-virus software and do not harm the computer unless they are executed. Also, they do not replicate but can come attached to a virus which can spread to other computers across the network. Installing a good and licensed anti-virus software, keeping virus definitions of computers up-to-date, being cautious while opening email attachments even if it looks authentic and paying attention towards system security popup messages are some of the ways by which you can keep a computer safe and secure. Trivia: The term Trojan horse comes from the Greek-Trojan war, in which Greeks infiltrated the city of Troy by sending soldiers covertly inside a huge wooden horse as a gift to the Trojan King.
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