Cybersecurity / Glossary

Trojan horse

A trojan horse is malware disguised as something useful, such as a free app, a game crack or a fake update, that you install yourself.

Unlike a worm, a trojan doesn't spread on its own. It relies on you running it, which is why it hides inside things people want.

Once running, a trojan can open a back door, install other malware, or steal data.

Download software only from official app stores and vendor sites, and be suspicious of pop-ups that say you need to install something.