Trojan is a malicious piece of software or code that disguises itself as legitimate and appears to perform a desirable function for the user prior to running or installing, but instead performs an unauthorized and often harmful action. It is designed to steal confidential information such as passwords, bank account details, credit card numbers, etc., without the user’s knowledge and consent.
The term “trojan” originates from the Greek myth of Troy in which a giant wooden horse was used by the Greeks to gain entrance into Troy during their siege of it. In computer terminology, this type of attack can be likened to an attacker using deception (the Trojan Horse) in order to gain access into a system.
Most commonly encountered trojans are distributed through email attachments or file-sharing sites on the internet. They may also be hidden within other downloads that appear harmless at first glance – such as free music files or applications – making them difficult for users to detect until after installation has taken place. Once installed onto your computer these Trojans can cause serious damage including identity theft, data corruption and financial loss if personal information is stolen from your machine.
It is important that you take measures against possible trojan infections when dealing with cryptocurrency exchanges online by avoiding suspicious links sent via email or social media postings; never downloading programs from untrusted sources; keeping all anti-virus protection up-to-date; and regularly scanning your system with anti-malware software. Additionally, always make sure you read any warnings before clicking on any link related to cryptocurrency trading activities so you don’t accidentally download a malicious program onto your device!
