Trojan virus definition computer

The easiest way to differentiate computer viruses from other forms of malware is to think about viruses in biological terms. Take the flu virus, for example. The flu requires some kind of interaction between two people—like a hand shake, a kiss, or touching something an infected person touched. Worms, on the other hand, are able to spread across systems and networks on their own, making them much more prevalent and dangerous.

Famously, the WannaCry ransomware worm spread around the world, took down thousands of Windows systems, and raked in an appreciable amount of untraceable Bitcoin ransom payments for the alleged North Korean attackers.

They are still a harmful type of malware, but they are not the only type of threat out there today, on your computer or mobile device. Many computer viruses target systems running Microsoft Windows.

Macs, on the other hand, have enjoyed a reputation as virus-proof super machines, but in Apple's own admission, Macs do get malware. There are more Windows users in the world than Mac user s and cybercriminals simply choose to write viruses for the operating system OS with the largest amount of potential victims.

Today, the "computer" in our pockets may be the one we use most often: our smartphones. Android and iOS are susceptible to various forms of malware, too. Fortunately, most cybersecurity companies like Malwarebytes offer protection for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS today. What fun! Is a Trojan a virus? Trojans can be viruses. A Trojan could be a seemingly benign file downloaded off the web or a Word doc attached to an email. Think that movie you downloaded from your favorite P2P sharing site is safe?

Think twice, because they could contain a virus. Is a worm a virus? Worms are not viruses, though the terms are sometimes used interchangeably. Even worse, the terms are sometimes used together in a strange and contradictory word salad; i. As mentioned earlier, a virus needs a host system to replicate and some sort of action from a user to spread from one system to the next.

Once on a system, worms are known to drop malware often ransomware or open a backdoor. Is ransomware a virus? Ransomware can be a virus. In fact, the very first ransomware was a virus more on that later. Nowadays, most ransomware comes as a result of computer worm, capable of spreading from one system to the next and across networks without user action e.

Is a rootkit a virus? Rootkits are not viruses. Is a software bug a virus? Software bugs are not viruses. A software bug refers to a flaw or mistake in the computer code that a given software program is made up of. Software bugs can cause programs to behave in ways the software manufacturer never intended.

The Y2K bug famously caused programs to display the wrong date, because the programs could only manage dates through the year After the year rolled over like the odometer on an old car to While the Y2K bug was relatively harmless, some software bugs can pose a serious threat to consumers.

Cybercriminals can take advantage of bugs in order to gain unauthorized access to a system for the purposes of dropping malware, stealing private information, or opening up a backdoor. This is known as an exploit. Preventing computer viruses from infecting your computer starts with situational awareness.

By staying on the lookout for phishing attacks and avoiding suspicious links and attachments, consumers can largely avoid most malware threats. Regarding email attachments and embedded links, even if the sender is someone you know: viruses have been known to hijack Outlook contact lists on infected computers and send virus laden attachments to friends, family and coworkers, the Melissa virus being a perfect example. A simple call or text message can save you a lot of trouble.

Next, invest in good cybersecurity software. Antivirus AV refers to early forms of cybersecurity software focused on stopping computer viruses.

Just viruses. Given a choice between traditional AV with limited threat detection technology and modern anti-malware with all the bells and whistles, invest in anti-malware and rest easy at night. As mentioned previously in this piece, traditional AV solutions rely on signature-based detection. The user often will not know anything untoward has occurred, as their computer may continue to work normally with no signs of it having been infected. The malware will reside undetected until the user takes a certain action, such as visiting a certain website or banking app.

Depending on the type of Trojan and how it was created, the malware may delete itself, return to being dormant, or remain active on the device. Trojans can also attack and infect smartphones and tablets using a strand of mobile malware. This could occur through the attacker redirecting traffic to a device connected to a Wi-Fi network and then using it to launch cyberattacks. There are many types of Trojan horse viruses that cyber criminals use to carry out different actions and different attack methods.

The most common types of Trojan used include:. A Trojan horse virus can often remain on a device for months without the user knowing their computer has been infected. However, telltale signs of the presence of a Trojan include computer settings suddenly changing, a loss in computer performance, or unusual activity taking place. The best way to recognize a Trojan is to search a device using a Trojan scanner or malware-removal software.

Trojan attacks have been responsible for causing major damage by infecting computers and stealing user data. Well-known examples of Trojans include:. The Fortinet antivirus services. In the span of a minute, FortiGuard eliminates, on average, 95, malware programs.

FortiGuard does this by incorporating knowledge of the different types of viruses within the global threat landscape. Countermeasures are engineered to neutralize each type of threat, and then they are automatically enacted by FortiGuard, thereby protecting the networks under the FortiGuard umbrella.

Skip to content Skip to navigation Skip to footer. What Is a Trojan Horse Virus? History of the Trojan Horse. The Trojan horse gave them the access they had been wanting for a decade. A Trojan virus, similarly, can be a good way to get behind an otherwise tight set of defenses. The Trojan horse appeared to be a legitimate gift. In a similar vein, a Trojan virus looks like legitimate software. How Do Trojans Work? Most Common Types of Trojan Malware.

The most common types of Trojan used include: Backdoor Trojan : A backdoor Trojan enables an attacker to gain remote access to a computer and take control of it using a backdoor. This enables the malicious actor to do whatever they want on the device, such as deleting files, rebooting the computer, stealing data, or uploading malware.

Privacy policy. This means they either have to be downloaded manually or another malware needs to download and install them. Trojans often use the same file names as real and legitimate apps.

It is easy to accidentally download a trojan thinking that it is a legitimate app. Download and install other malware, such as viruses or worms. Send information about the infected device to a malicious hacker including passwords, login details for websites, and browsing history.