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Trojan Horse Virus 101
Backdoors / Trojans / Virus Protection 101:
Free antivirus protection software can safeguard your system from common Internet threats. One of the most common threats to computer users are trojans (sometimes referred to as trojan horses).
What is a Trojan?
A trojan is a software program that contains harmful code, which is embedded in another, seemingly harmless, program. The sole purpose of a trojan is to gain access to your system, allowing the hacker to gain access to your files and in the worst cases, your network connectivity. Trojans can lurk on your system, silently hanging out until the hacker gives it the signal to start working. This is why they can be difficult to detect, isolate and destroy without antivirus software.
A Typical Trojan Victim: Any One of Us
Because trojans are disguised as something other than what they are, they attract victims fairly easily. If you like to play games online, are prone to opening email attachments with dancing cartoon characters, or receiving (and viewing) popular videos, then you are at risk.
Who Creates Trojans?
Corrupt computer programmers (hackers!) are the agents behind trojans. They may code them, but they may not be the ones to actually release them onto the internet. Many times, they are disseminated by what's known as script kiddies. These are defined as unskilled hackers who mainly like to create havoc on the internet using scripts written by others.
Can I Use Free Anti Virus Protection Software to Remove Trojans?
If your system is infected with a trojan, removing it can be easy or difficult, depending on how it was programmed. Trojans that are designed to cause registry or startup changes are the most difficult to remove. That's why when you download antivirus protection software, you should do so from a company with extensive threat research and software development capabilities. CyberDefender software is regularly updated, adding new threat definitions, on an ongoing basis. This means that new trojans can be easily identified and removed before they have a change to lodge themselves on your system. While free antivirus protection software may work well to cover the basics, Internet security experts advise computer users to use some form of paid, commercial-grade software. You can quickly download the trial of CyberDefender EarlyDetectionCenter to see how it works before you decide to upgrade to the fully-functional version.
