Trojan horse (computing)

:This article is about computer system security. For Odysseus' subterfuge in the Trojan War, see Trojan Horse.

Related Topics:
Computer - Odysseus - Trojan War - Trojan Horse

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In the context of computer software, a Trojan horse is a malicious program that is disguised as legitimate software. The term is derived from the classical myth of the Trojan horse. In the siege of Troy, the Greeks left a large wooden horse outside the city. The Trojans were convinced that it was a gift, and moved the horse to a place within the city walls. It turned out that the horse was hollow, containing Greek soldiers who opened the city gates of Troy at night, making it possible for the Greek army to pillage the city. Trojan horse programs work in a similar way: they may look useful or interesting (or at the very least harmless) to an unsuspecting user, but are actually harmful when executed.

Related Topics:
Computer software - Trojan horse - Troy - Greeks

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Often the term is shortened to simply Trojan, even though this turns the adjective into a noun, reversing the myth (Greeks were gaining malicious access, not Trojans).

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Trojan horse programs cannot replicate themselves, in contrast to some other types of malware, like viruses or worms. A Trojan horse can be deliberately attached to otherwise useful software by a cracker, or it can be spread by tricking users into believing that it is a useful program.

Related Topics:
Malware - Viruses - Worms - Cracker

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