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What is Trojan?
In this chapter, we would learn about Trojan in detail. What it is, how it got its name, what are the common types of Trojan, how it works, and how to get rid of it if you encountered one.
What is Trojan?
The Trojan is a type of malware program or code that presents itself as a useful legitimate program so that users would get fascinated by it and install it. It usually tricks users by using social engineering techniques. Cyberattackers design Trojan to control the system to perform various vicious tasks such as stealing private information & secret files, damage the operating system, infecting the system with other harmful malware, and more.
Trojan is often referred to as other names such as Trojan Virus. However, it is not a virus. A virus has the capability of replicating and spreading itself, while Trojans couldn't replicate. It is also called by the name Trojan Horse because of the story through which it got this name. Let us know the story in brief.
How Trojan got its name?
The computing term Trojan Virus is actually derived from a Greek mythological story about the Trojan War in which a deceptive horse was used by Greeks to win the independent city, Troy. According to the story, even after trying for many years, the Greeks were not able to win Troy. So, they built a dummy horse, hid some soldiers inside it, and kept it outside the Troy city fort. The rest of the Greek army pretends to return. The Trojans (people of Troy) pulled the horse into their city, thinking it as the mark of victory over the Greeks. At night the Greek soldiers hiding inside the horse opened the fort gates, making way for the Greek army to enter the city, who came back undercover. After entering the city, the Greek military destroyed Troy city and ended the War.
The Trojan Virus works similarly. After getting entry into the system, it shows its actual color and destroys the working of the computer by creating a way for other malware to enter the device.
Common Types of Trojan
Based on their infiltrating and attacking nature, Trojans are classified into the following types.
SMS Trojan
This type of Trojan, after infiltrating your device, can intercept and send messages. SMS Trojans are mostly used for sending texts to premium-rate numbers to generate revenues by cutting user's phone costs.
Backdoor Trojan
This type of Trojan acts as a backdoor for other malware to enter your device. It can also be a backdoor for intruders to take control of your system. Your private data can be stolen, and attackers could also install spyware.
Ransom Trojan
Ransom Trojans are meant particularly for introducing Ransomware to your system. It would lock your files with strong encryption and demand ransom in return for the decryptor.
Downloader Trojan
The downloader Trojan is responsible for downloading the malicious programs on your system, including other Trojans and malware. Usually, such trojans hide in the background of your device and work silently.
Fake AV Trojan
Such Trojans act as antivirus programs and ask users to buy them to protect their system from harmful threats. In reality, it is just a rogue security program that produces fake results to force users to buy the premium version.
How Trojan Works?
First, the developers behind the Trojan would use social engineering tricks like sending gifts via email, throwing a pop-up of an intriguing offer, and similar schemes.
Next, after the victim clicks on such emails or pop-ups without knowing the intention behind it, the Trojan would enter the system and start working on its purpose. It can also spread to different locations of your device and infect other programs.
How to get rid of Trojans?
After you suspect a Trojan infection on your system, you must immediately take the actions to remove it quickly so that the damage could be control. You can do that either manually or using an antimalware program.
Following steps can be taken to get rid of Trojans from the system manually:
Recognize which application or service is causing the trouble. For that, you can take the help of the Task Manager and look for the application or process using system resources abnormally.
Stop the system restore so that the files you erase couldn't be recover.
Reboot the device in Safe Mode to control the Trojan.
Remove the suspected programs from the system. You must be careful while removing the programs, as removing a legit system app can enhance the problem.
Clear your device junks like Temporary Folder and Recycle Bin.
If you don't want to take the trouble of removing the Trojan manually, you can take the help of a security program. It is advised to use the antimalware solution to remove malware entirely from the system as it would thoroughly scan the entire system.
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