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What is a Trojan Horse?
In computing terms, Trojan horses (or just "Trojans") are a particularly devious type of malware because hackers hide them within apparently harmless software or files. An Internet user will download what he or she assumes is a safe and legitimate program or file only to find that the "free upgrade" or "security update" actually contained code written to damage computers. Trojans are not viruses or worms because they do not self-replicate.
Trojans take their name from the Trojan horse from Greek mythology. The Greeks built a giant hollow horse as part of their stratagem to attack the seemingly impenetrable city of Troy. The Greek soldiers pretended to surrender then hid inside the horse and then left it outside the city's perimeter as a "gift" for the Trojans. The people of Troy joyfully brought it in as a victory trophy—and were in for an unpleasant surprise when they realized that they had just hauled a good portion of the Greek army into the city.
Concerns for Parents
- Once someone has a backdoor to your computer, they can put whatever they want to onto your screen for your child's view. Your child's screen could be flooded with filth at the hacker's slightest whim.
- While the threat mentioned above is real, in general, Trojans are geared towards messing up your computer rather than targeting your children.
How Can I Keep My Computer Safe?
- Protect your computer with antivirus software and a firewall. Though they may not keep 100% of the bad guys from infecting your system, they will prevent the majority of vicious programs out there from causing you any damage.
- Download with caution. Don't download anything unless you are positive that it is a clean file from a trusted source. Do not open any executable (.exe file) received via E-mail.
- Don't open email attachments unless you know exactly what they are. Even a trusted friend or family member may unknowingly send you an infected file. Be extremely careful! Do not open any executable (.exe file) received via E-mail.
- Be sure all automatic preview settings are disabled on your email account and all other programs you run.Some computer programs offer features that let you receive or preview files automatically. As nice and convenient as that may sound, such lenient settings on your computer allow anyone to send you any file.
Where Can I Learn More?
Click here to read an excellent (and frightening!) article about the dangers of Trojans.
