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What Is A Trojan Horse Virus And What Does It Do?
The Trojan Virus takes its name from the legendary Trojan Horse that the Greeks used to deceive their enemies and enter the independent city of Troy. This way, they won the Trojan War.
Just like that legendary artefact, the Trojan Virus is a kind of spyware that misleads computer users of its true purpose. It can hide within a little and harmless program and trick you into installing it.
You may never know you got one, since their behavior is more on the stealth side. They can sit quietly in your computer and collect information or dig holes into your security. They can also take control of your computer and… that’s quite bad. But, fortunately, most Trojans are now stopped by antiviruses.
If we are to compare them to the other types of viruses and worms, there is a little difference: Trojans do not reproduce, they do not infect other files. You can get them through opening e-mail attachments, or some little programs from the Internet that seem harmless at a first glance.
What can Trojan Viruses actually do?
They swiftly became the first choice for hackers, since they are very versatile and can be used for many purposes. For example, a Trojan virus can:
Make changes to the security settings of your computer so other types of malware can get in and continue the job.
Can register your card details, passwords, and usernames and send them back to its owner. From there on, check your bank account!
Make you a Zombie. Actually, not you, your computer. Hackers can have fun with your PC, just because of it. You don’t want to be at the mercy of a hacker, do you? Once they have tricked you into installing a program that has a Trojan virus in it, they can take full control of your computer.
There is one kind of Trojan that can take down your entire network just by flooding it with traffic.
Infect your smartphone through what looks like legitimate apps. This infected apps are usually up for download on unofficial and pirate app markets, not on your usual Apple Store or Google Play. So, if you go on these kind of markets, beware, hackers can get into your phone. A Trojan on your mobile phone can steal information and also send premium SMS texts that will cost you money and generate revenue for the hacker.
How can you tell if your PC is infected with a Trojan and how to remove it?
If your PC is infected with a Trojan, it will slow down considerably since the virus places a great burden on the processor. You can use an antivirus that has Trojan databases updated to the latest versions or Trojan scanners to found and remove any type of Trojan that might be lurking in your PC.
But, as with any type of viruses, whether they are computer viruses or human viruses, you need to be proactive, rather than reactive. You need to take measures and protect yourself. Protection is the best cure. There are a few things you can do:
Install an always-on antivirus that can detect a Trojan the first time it tries to run. Also, do manual searches to clean the computer of any type of malware. Programs like AVG and AVAST are ideal for catching and removing a Trojan automatically. Make sure you keep them up-to-date with the newest virus definitions.
Run periodic scans with your security software.
Try not to visit safe websites. Most antiviruses also have a tool that alerts you when you are about to enter an unsafe website.
Don’t download attachments from unfamiliar e-mails and don’t click on links that you don’t know what they are
Protect your accounts with complex passwords. Ideally, you shall have unique passwords for your different accounts.
Firewalls can help protect your personal information. Don’t deactivate them.
Install the latest updates of your Operating System. Whether it is Windows or Mac OS or other, installing the updates, can help make your computer safer.
All in all, you have to always invest in the security of your computers, update your antiviruses and Operating System and always be on the watch for possible ways infections. Whether it is a Trojan or any other type of viruses, it can endanger your personal information and bank account, even. You’ve already taken the first step in protecting yourself when you chose to inform yourself by reading this article. Keep up the good work!
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