What is a Trojan Horse Attack?

Introduction

The Trojan Horse attack is one of the most notorious and well-known forms of cyberattacks in the world. Named after the ancient Greek mythological event where a deceptive wooden horse was used to breach the fortified city of Troy, Trojan horse malware works in a similar manner: it disguises itself as a legitimate program or file to gain unauthorized access to a system. Once inside, the Trojan unleashes its payload, allowing cybercriminals to steal data, take control of systems, or cause damage.

This blog aims to provide a comprehensive guide to understanding what a Trojan Horse attack is, how it works, its various types, the risks it poses, real-world examples, and most importantly, how to prevent such attacks.

What is a Trojan Horse Attack?

A Trojan Horse attack is a type of cyberattack where malicious software (malware) is disguised as legitimate or harmless software. Unlike viruses or worms, Trojans do not replicate themselves. Instead, they rely on tricking the victim into downloading or executing the malicious program, often believing it to be safe. Once the Trojan is installed on the system, it can perform various harmful actions such as stealing data, spying on user activity, creating backdoors for hackers, or allowing remote access to the system.