Trojan

Trojans

A Trojan is a type of virus that can have highly destructive effects: from deleting files to destroying all the contents of the hard disk. Trojans can also capture and resend confidential data to an external address or open communication ports, allowing an intruder to control the infected computer remotely.

Additionally, they can capture keystrokes or record the passwords entered by users. Given all these characteristics, they are frequently used by cybercrooks to steal confidential banking information.

What is a Trojan?

The main objective of this type of malware is to install other applications on the infected computer, so it can be controlled from other computers.

Trojans do not spread by themselves, and as their name suggests, like the astute Greeks in their attack on Troy, these malicious codes reach computers in the guise of an apparently harmless program, which, in many cases, when executed releases a second program, the Trojan itself. This is the typical behavior of downloader Trojans.

Every day, the AV-TEST Institute registers over 350,000 new malicious programs (malware). This includes banking Trojans, whose global impact has increased by 50 percent over the last four months.

What does a Trojan do?

The effects of Trojans can be highly dangerous. Like viruses, they can destroy files or information on hard disks. They can also capture and resend confidential data to an external address or open communication ports, allowing an intruder to control the infected computer remotely.

How can you protect yourself from Trojans?

To protect yourself against this ubiquitous type of malware, we offer a series of practical tips:

• Don't download content from dubious or unknown websites.
• Keep a close eye on downloads made via P2P networks.
• Always keep your antivirus program up to date. If you don’t have an antivirus, we advise that you install any of Panda Security’s security solutions.
• Run a free antivirus scan of your computer with Panda Cloud Cleaner and check whether it is Trojan-free.