What is the Trojan horse in Information Security?


A Trojan horse is a kind of malware that downloads onto a computer disguised as a legitimate issue. A Trojan horse is formal because of its delivery techniques, which generally defines an attacker uses social engineering to hide malicious codes inside legitimate software. However, unlike computer viruses or worms, a Trojan does not self-replicate, therefore it requires to be installed by a valid user.

A trojan’s intent is frequently different than that of different forms of viruses or malware, which influence to be self-propagating to intensify damage regardless of their being revealed. The main goal of trojan’s is to remain hidden. They usually open a backdoor through which the computer can be accessed externally by a hacker, or correspond with the hacker who created it to send sensitive data from the user’s device.

Trojans can perform as standalone tools for attackers, or can be a platform for different malicious activity. For instance, trojan downloaders are used by attackers to produce future payloads to a victim’s tools. Trojan rootkits can be used to create a persistent presence on a user’s device or a corporate web.

A Trojan virus spreads through legitimate-looking emails and files connected to emails, which are spammed to enter the inboxes of as several people as possible. When the email is opened and the malicious connection is downloaded, the Trojan server will install and automatically run each time the infected device is turned on.

Devices can also be infected by a Trojan through social engineering strategy, which cybercriminals use to coerce users into downloading malicious software. The malicious file could be hidden in banner advertisements, pop-up advertisements, or connections on websites.

A device infected by Trojan malware can also advance it to several computers. A cybercriminal turns the device into a zombie computer, which means they have remote control of it without the client knowing. Hackers can use the zombie computer to continue sharing malware across a network of devices, referred to as a botnet.

For example, a user can receive an email from someone they understand, which contains an attachment that also looks legitimate. However, the attachment includes a malicious program that executes and installs the Trojan on their device. The user will not understand anything untoward has appeared, as their computer can continue to work generally with no signs of it having been infected.

The malware will endure undetected until the user takes a definite action, including visiting a specific website or banking software. This will activate the malicious program, and the Trojan will carry out the hacker’s acquired action. Based on the type of Trojan and how it was generated, the malware can delete itself, restore to being dormant, or remain active on the device.

Updated on: 22-Nov-2021

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