Staying safe online
Contents
What is Trojan
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.
It is a type of malicious code or software that looks legitimate but can take control of your computer.
A Trojan is sometimes called a Trojan virus or a Trojan horse virus, but that's a misnomer, not completely accurate.
Viruses can execute and replicate themselves. A Trojan cannot, a user has to give Trojans an opening by executing them themselves.
Trojans are also known to create a backdoor on your computer that gives malicious users access to your system, possibly allowing confidential or personal information to be compromised.
Unlike viruses and worms, Trojans do not reproduce by infecting other files nor do they self-replicate.
Trojan horse viruses and malicious code are used to attack mobile platforms as well as personal computers. For instance, your mobile phone can be infected by downloading a simple application from ‘Google Play’, ‘Apple’, or similar sources. Therefore, it is important to do your research before downloading anything.
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.
It is a type of malicious code or software that looks legitimate but can take control of your computer.
A Trojan is sometimes called a Trojan virus or a Trojan horse virus, but that's a misnomer, not completely accurate.
Viruses can execute and replicate themselves. A Trojan cannot, a user has to give Trojans an opening by executing them themselves.
Trojans are also known to create a backdoor on your computer that gives malicious users access to your system, possibly allowing confidential or personal information to be compromised.
Unlike viruses and worms, Trojans do not reproduce by infecting other files nor do they self-replicate.
Trojan horse viruses and malicious code are used to attack mobile platforms as well as personal computers. For instance, your mobile phone can be infected by downloading a simple application from ‘Google Play’, ‘Apple’, or similar sources. Therefore, it is important to do your research before downloading anything.
Page last reviewed: 25 July 2021