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Most apps shouldn’t - so if you notice some weird software really chewing up your processing power, Google it and see if it’s actually a Trojan. ![]() Some software, like high-end games, will typically eat up most of your power. Click on the Processes tab (it should be open by default) and see which programs are using up your CPU and RAM. So if you notice things running slowly, either at startup or just during normal use, use Ctrl-Alt-Delete to pull up your task manager. In fact, with the rise of cryptomining, your computer is liable to run even slower if it’s got a nasty infection. These days, most malware is smart enough to avoid crowding your desktop with pop-up ads as they did in yesteryear, but that doesn’t mean your computing performance won’t take a hit. Google anything you don’t recognize, and if you’re suspicious, you can delete it. It will show you all the software you have installed - all of it. From that menu, type “regedit” and click enter, and you’ll see a screen like this:Ĭlick HKEY_CURRENT_USER, then expand the SOFTWARE folder. For a more comprehensive list (on Windows), hold the windows key and press R to bring up the run menu. Not all Trojans will show up in your add/remove program list. In either case, it’s good to get rid of it. If you see anything you don’t recognize, it either means you have a Trojan, or a legitimate download installed an additional program behind your back. PC users can go to add or remove programs, and those with Macs can use the Finder feature. So it can be worth your time to check your installed programs for anything you don’t remember installing. Trojans, as we’ve discussed, will often open a backdoor to download other malware. Unlike many kinds of malware, which make no pretense of being safe or friendly, Trojans can be a bit harder to identify at a glance. How can I tell if I’m infected with a Trojan? This is why it’s so important to watch out for unsafe websites and never download things carelessly. ![]() They can use misleading language or try to convince you they are a legitimate app. Some Trojans are specifically designed to trick you into using them. Even an advertisement might try to install something on your computer. The "free" MP3 by that band you secretly like. The computer game you downloaded from a strange website. Well, that’s just it: Trojans can look like just about anything. Sending costly SMS messages: Even smartphones get Trojans, and a common way for criminals to make money is by making your phone send costly SMS messages to premium numbers. Turning your computer into a zombie: Sometimes, a hacker isn't interested in you, but just wants to use your computer as a slave in a network under their control (also known as botnet). Spying: Some Trojans are essentially spyware designed to wait until you access your online accounts or enter your credit card details, and then send your passwords and other data back to their master. This is usually the first step in creating a botnet. Some of the common actions that Trojans take are:Ĭreating backdoors: Trojans typically make changes to your security system so that other malware or even a hacker can get in. What do Trojans do?īecause Trojans are so versatile and can go unnoticed, their popularity has exploded, making them the malware of choice for many online criminals. This is especially true today, where “ social engineering” (a type of threat that involves manipulating and lying over social channels) is one of the primary distribution methods for malware of all types. The Trojans that followed were not so innocent, and they quickly became one of the most popular kinds of malware attacks. It was harmless and easy to fix, but since it did not disclose the virus it contained, it qualified as a Trojan. A simple animal-themed guessing game, it made backups of itself on every drive the current user could access, taking great pains not to damage or overwrite anything in the process. This piece of code disguised itself as a game to get users to download it, and then secretly ushered in a self-replicating virus. It wouldn’t stay in the hypothetical realm for long.Ī mere one year later, the first “real” Trojan (although there is some debate if it counts) was discovered in the wild: a program called ANIMAL-PERVADE. Their name was coined all the way back in a US Air Force report from 1974, which listed all the hypothetical ways a computer system could be compromised. Trojans have the distinction of being one of the first pieces of malware to ever exist. What is a Trojan?īasically, a Trojan is a malicious program that pretends to be harmless in order to trick people into downloading it. ![]() They may sit quietly in your computer, collecting information or setting up holes in your security, or they may just take over your computer and lock you out.
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