Malware
Trojan (Trojan horse)
In Turkish: Truva atı (trojan)
Harmful software disguised as something useful or free, such as a game, a crack or an invoice, that you install yourself.
A trojan works like the wooden horse in the old story: it looks harmless, so you let it in. Once it runs, it can steal data, open a door for other malware or give someone remote control.
Typical disguises are cracked software, a free version of a paid app, a fake delivery app sent as a file, or a document that asks you to enable something to read it.
What to do
- Never install an app file that arrives by message; use the official store.
- Check a parcel in the courier's own app or website, not through a link.
- Avoid cracked and "free" versions of paid programs.
Related terms
Learn it in the Academy
Try it
Free tools that put this to use.
- Message checker
Paste a suspicious text, WhatsApp message or email. We tell you whether it looks like a scam and what to do.
- Link checker
Paste a link from a text, email or ad. We open it for you and say what it really does.