TROJAN HORSE.pptx

Editor's Notes

• #4: Trojans are not viruses, but they are a type of malware. People sometimes refer to “Trojan viruses” or “Trojan horse viruses,” but there’s no such thing. That’s due to one critical difference in how viruses and Trojans infect victims. While viruses self-replicate, spreading from one victim to the next, Trojans need you to install them. That distinction is what distinguishes viruses from Trojan horse malware. Of course, viruses and Trojans themselves are both kinds of malware.
• #5: disguises itself as something harmless to fool you into installing it.
• #6: Trojan malware works the same way — it pretends to be something harmless, but it’s just a cover for its real, malicious intent. There are a few elements of the story that make the term “Trojan horse” an appropriate name for these types of cyber attacks: The Trojan horse was a unique solution to the target’s defenses. In the original story, the attackers had laid siege to the city for 10 years and hadn’t succeeded in defeating it. The Trojan horse gave them the access they had been wanting for a decade. A Trojan virus, similarly, can be a good way to get behind an otherwise tight set of defenses. The Trojan horse appeared to be a legitimate gift. In a similar vein, a Trojan malware looks like legitimate software. The soldiers in the Trojan horse controlled the city’s defense system. With a Trojan virus, the malware takes control of your computer, potentially leaving it vulnerable to other “invaders.”
• #7: Unlike computer viruses, a Trojan horse cannot manifest by itself, so it needs a user to download the server side of the application for it to work. This means the executable (.exe) file should be implemented and the program installed for the Trojan to attack a device’s system. 
• #8: This enables the malicious actor to do whatever they want on the device, such as deleting files, rebooting the computer, stealing data, or uploading malware. A backdoor Trojan is frequently used to create a botnet through a network of zombie computers Banking Trojans infiltrate your devices and steal your financial login credentials. Hackers use them to crack your banking and other financial accounts. DDoS Trojans aim to conscript your device into a botnet: a network of linked devices controlled remotely by a hacker known as a bot herder. They’ll use the botnet to carry out distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks that shut down other websites and internet services The dropper Trojan infects your device and sets the stage for the loader, which in turn installs a rootkit that gives a hacker access to your device. Other downloader Trojans will install other types of malwares.
• #9: 5. The cyber criminal will target users through a method like a phishing attack, then use the code in the program to exploit a known vulnerability 6. fake AV Trojans pretend to detect viruses and other malware on your device, then urge you to pay for security software — which is either useless or actively malicious. When you pay, the Trojan creator gets your payment details. 7. Gaming Trojans target online gamers and steal their login info. Cybercriminals can use these to crack the accounts of high-profile players or steal valuable in-game items. 8. Targeting the instant message (IM) apps on your device, IM Trojans hijack your login credentials and help themselves to your contact list. Newer IM apps that use encryption like WhatsApp or Signal are less vulnerable than older services such as Skype or MSN Messenger — but malware is always evolving.
• #10: 9. The components of infostealer Trojans can make it difficult for antivirus systems to discover them in scans. 10. mailfinder Trojans target email apps like Microsoft Office and plumb them for email addresses. Cybercriminals can add any plundered email addresses to their spamming or phishing attacks. 11. Ransomware is a type of malware that blocks your access to your data or device, then threatens to either publish, permanently withhold, or destroy the data unless you pay a ransom. Ransomware Trojans use deceit to trick victims into activating the ransomware. 12. The cyber criminal maintains access to the device through a remote network connection, which they use to steal information or spy on a user.
• #11: 13. Its purpose is to stop malicious programs from being detected, which enables malware to remain active on an infected computer for a longer period. 14. SMS Trojans infect mobile devices, usually Android, and either send expensive SMS messages to premium services owned by the cybercriminal, or intercept messages coming to and from your phone. This includes sending messages to premium-rate phone numbers, which increases the costs on a user’s phone bill. 15. This includes logging their keyboard actions, taking screenshots, accessing the applications they use, and tracking login data. 16. The trojanized file is a backdoor. Once on a target machine, it remains dormant for a two-week period and will then retrieve commands that allow it to transfer, execute, perform reconnaissance, reboot and halt system services. Communication occurs over http to predetermined URI's.
• #12: Trojans often install additional malware that together can consume a large amount of computing resources. Sometimes, Trojans may overwhelm your computer and cause crashes or other failures. The infamous Blue Screen of Death is always a cause for concern. Many Trojans install additional malware. If you notice anything unfamiliar in your Windows Task Manager or macOS Activity Monitor, look it up — it might be malware. Some Trojans change your DNS settings or manipulate your browser to redirect you to malicious sites that can harvest your data or infect you with additional malware. As the Trojan installs new malware or makes other changes to your computer, you may see new icons on your desktop or in your taskbar. The same goes for browser toolbars or plugins that you didn’t install yourself — look out for these browser hijackers. Are you seeing more pop-ups than usual? A Trojan may have installed adware on your device. Trojans and other malware don’t want to be detected and removed — so they’ll try to turn off your antivirus software.
• #13: Zeus is known mostly as banking trojan ZeuS eventually infected millions of computers — which is why it was used to create Gameover ZeuS, one of the most notorious botnets of all time.
• #14: 4. Routinely hailed as one of the most damaging malware strains ever created, Emotet targeted corporate and individual victims alike through massive spam and phishing campaigns. The malware was used to create several botnets, which were then rented out on a malware-as-a-service (MaaS) model to other enterprising cybercriminals. Emotet was finally disrupted in 2021 via a coordinated global law enforcement effort. 5.
• #15: 1. Trojans are often hosted on third-party app download sites. Get your software directly from the manufacturer or from official portals like the Apple App Store and Google Play — though these have been compromised by Trojans in the past, they’re much safer than other options. 2. Fraudulent emails are a popular vector for spreading Trojans. Don’t click attachments or links in emails that you aren’t expecting to receive. Even if the email looks legit, it may be spoofed by a cybercriminal. 3. Some Trojans spread through infected web ads. An ad blocker or private browser will prevent these and other ads from loading in your browser, preventing infected sites from giving you a Trojan. 4. Trojan creators often disguise their Trojans as free games and other seemingly useful apps. If you’re about to install something new, research it first and read user reviews. 5. Not all drive-by downloads are handled via malvertising. Some malware creators develop websites that can automatically install Trojans and other malware onto your device as soon as you visit. Avoiding unknown sites reduces your risk of downloading a Trojan. 6. A strong antivirus tool from a reputable provider will automatically keep Trojans off your device. Choose one that doubles as a malware removal tool that can detect and remove Trojans and other malware from your devices as well.