A Trojan is a type of malicious software. The Trojan disguises itself as useful programs in every possible way, misleading the user, and performs malicious actions, for example, steals personal information or intercepts control of the computer.
The term "Trojan" comes from the term "Trojan Horse" - an ancient Greek military tactic that consisted of invisible penetration into the rear of the enemy. Unlike viruses, Trojans usually do not infect program files, but are used to steal personal data and organize network attacks. There are several varieties of Trojans, each of which performs a specific task.
A keylogger is a simple Trojan horse that monitors keystrokes or mouse movements. Subsequently, all the information collected in this way is sent to the attackers. With the help of keyloggers, you can track the sequence of user actions and, for example, steal passwords. To protect against keyloggers, some sites offer to use virtual keyboards, but in some cases this approach does not prevent theft.
Another way to use Trojans is to hack the system's protection with the subsequent interception of control of the computer. Computers subjected to such an attack are called zombies; they become part of a distributed network of computers, which is subsequently used to organize DDos attacks.
To protect against Trojans, as in the case of any other viruses, it is necessary to use modern anti-virus systems. You can also prevent the penetration of such programs by observing basic security measures: do not follow random links, do not read files attached to letters from unknown senders, etc.
