TROJAN HORSES Meaning and
Definition
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Trojan horses, in the context of computer security and technology, are a specific type of malicious software that appear to be normal or legitimate programs but secretly carry out harmful actions without the user's knowledge or consent. These software programs are deceptive and can harm the computer system or steal sensitive information.
The name "Trojan horse" is derived from Greek mythology, where the Greeks used a giant wooden horse to deceive and gain access inside the city of Troy during the Trojan War. Similarly, a Trojan horse in the digital realm disguises itself as a harmless or desirable program, tricking users into executing or installing it.
Once inside the system, Trojan horses can perform a variety of malicious activities, such as stealing passwords, financial information, or personal data, disabling security features, opening backdoors for remote access by hackers, or even damaging or deleting files on the infected system. They often spread through email attachments, drive-by downloads, or through software obtained from untrusted sources.
Trojan horses are different from viruses or worms, as they do not replicate themselves. They rely on users unknowingly infecting their own systems by downloading and executing the disguised software. To protect against Trojan horses, it is crucial to use up-to-date antivirus software, regularly update operating systems and software applications, exercise caution when downloading files or clicking on suspicious links, and avoid opening attachments from unknown or untrusted sources.
Common Misspellings for TROJAN HORSES
- rrojan horses
- frojan horses
- grojan horses
- yrojan horses
- 6rojan horses
- 5rojan horses
- teojan horses
- tdojan horses
- tfojan horses
- ttojan horses
- t5ojan horses
- t4ojan horses
- trijan horses
- trkjan horses
- trljan horses
- trpjan horses
- tr0jan horses
- tr9jan horses
- trohan horses
- tronan horses
Etymology of TROJAN HORSES
The term "Trojan horse" originates from Greek mythology and specifically from the epic poem "The Iliad" attributed to Homer. According to the poem, during the Trojan War, the Greeks besieged the city of Troy for ten years without success. In an attempt to end the war, the Greeks built a massive wooden horse and left it at the gates of Troy as a supposed offering to the goddess Athena. Greek soldiers hid inside the hollow horse while the rest of the army sailed away.
The Trojans, assuming the horse was a peace offering, brought it inside the city walls. At night, the Greek soldiers hiding inside the horse emerged, opened the gates to the Greek army, and conquered Troy. This deceitful strategy became known as the "Trojan horse".
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