Inc: The Basics: What are Trojan Horses?

Tips for avoiding one of the Internet's potent hidden dangers.

SEPTEMBER 1, 2006
by Julia Scheeres

Named for the giant wooden horse the Greeks allegedly gave the Trojans as a peace offering, a modern day Trojan horse is a destructive computer program that masquerades as a benign application. Just as the trusting citizens of Troy wheeled a horse containing hidden soldiers into their walled city, Trojan horse programs also contain nasty surprises. They can destroy files, steal confidential data such as passwords and financial information, or allow an intruder to remotely control your system.

Unlike other types of malware (malicious software), such as viruses and worms, Trojan horses can't operate autonomously or spread from machine to machine by themselves. Just like the legendary horse, they need a human to activate them by opening the file in which they are hidden. This is surprisingly easy to do.

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