Avoid a Trojan Virus- Antivirus Keeps the Doors Closed

 

Avoid a Trojan Virus- Antivirus Keeps the Doors Closed

A Trojan is a type of malware disguised as legitimate software. Cybercriminals often use it to steal private data, spy on users, and gain unauthorized access to systems. 

 

If you've been paying attention to computer and Internet Security Software over the past decade, you've no doubt come across the term "Trojan virus." Although you may know that these pieces of malware are bad news, you may not be aware of what they can do to your computer, how they get into it, and how to avoid them. By gaining a complete understanding of what a Trojan is and what it can do, you put yourself in the best possible position to avoid having to deal with these dangerous pieces of software altogether.

 

What is a Trojan virus?

The term “Trojan virus " is a misnomer, but is commonly used in place of the correct term, "Trojan." A virus will infect common computer files, take control of a specified file, and damage it in the process. The virus will try to spread to other computers by infecting other files.

On the contrary, Trojans are programs in and of themselves, since they don't need to damage another file to do their dirty work. They also do not spread to other computers, since they infect only one computer in each case. But do not be fooled; the worst Trojans are as harmful as any computer virus.

How Trojans Work

Like the Trojan horse story of old, Trojan malware seems to be something you want to have. It often takes the form of a piece of free software or an email attachment, and then once you've given it permission to install on your computer, it opens the floodgates.

Once the Trojan has access to the computer, it can do almost anything, but most of these types of malware seek to gain full control of the desktop computer. This means that whatever you do on the computer is recorded and sent to a server specified by the Trojan. This can be especially dangerous if you use your desktop computer for financial transactions, as the Trojan will send your banking information or your credit card information to people who want to use or sell it. Trojans can also turn your computer into a zombie, allowing a hacker to use both your computer and your Internet connection to launch cyber attacks around the world.

How to protect yourself

Trojans are so called because they need your permission to run on your computer, and they get it if you run the program yourself or if you open a document or image that runs the program. With this in mind, the first and best defense against Trojans is to never open an email attachment or run a program if you are not entirely sure of the source, which includes all files downloaded from websites or point programs. to point (P2P, Peer-to-Peer). But this is rarely possible in today's interconnected world, so some specific security measures are required.

Keep your software always updated. This is doubly true for important programs, such as the operating system and the browser. Hackers exploit known security holes in these types of programs that can help the Trojan do its job, and even if the vendor fixes the holes, it won't do you any good unless you keep the latest version of your software. To keep your Internet connection as secure as possible, always use a firewall. Both software and hardware firewalls are excellent at controlling malicious Internet traffic and can often prevent Trojans from downloading to your computer in the first place.

 

All of these things are useful, but to be really safe, you will have to install antivirus software or anti- Trojan software. This software, if kept up to date, will scan your system to make sure you have not downloaded a Trojan, and will automatically scan any programs or files you run to ensure their safety. There are free anti-Trojans on the Internet, but few are regularly updated, and some are even Trojans themselves. To better protect your computer, choose brand-name antivirus software with a free trial. This will allow you to see the benefits of such a program before purchasing it. These programs usually come as part of a general security package, but they allow you to specify what type of protection you need and to disable other features.

Protecting your computer against Trojans doesn't have to be a monumental task. By following some simple rules about Internet safety and combining those rules with a solid security solution, you can ensure that your computer is protected against the vast majority of Trojans and malware out there.