A “trojan horse” is a type of malware (malicious software) that disguises itself as something desirable like an mp3 file, free game, interesting email attachment, a pop-up, or a delightfully naughty picture, but it is in fact a wicked program that aims to harm or hijack your computer. The term “trojan horse” is aptly derived from the Greek legend in which the besieged Trojans - believing it to be a tribute - are tricked into hauling a giant, Greek-filled wooden horse into their formerly impregnable city. In the same fashion, it was your own actions that brought the trojan onto your computer; you were tricked into installing it.
There many types of trojans and they each affect your computer in uniquely nasty ways. Trojans are not viruses, but some (vectors) bring viruses with them. Another type of trojan allows someone to spy on your computer by taking screen shots and looking for passwords (keyloggers) and other personal information that can lead to identity theft. God forbid you get a trojan that opens a backdoor, which essentially gives them all the abilities above and much more. Ok now…don’t slit your wrists. Below you’ll find what to do to get rid of trojans and protect yourself in the future.
Getting Rid of Trojans
If you have an anti-virus program, run a system scan and “delete” the trojan. Notice I used the word “delete.” When you have a virus, you should opt to “clean” or “quarantine” as viruses affect needed files. Both Avast and AVG Anti-Virus have good reputations and are free. Kaspersky and Norton are also good “payware” options for getting rid of trojans. All of the above programs offer free online malware scans. If none of this works, try using Trend Micro HouseCall to remove the trojan. It works from a web browser, so the trojan may have a harder time getting its tentacles into it.
If your AV fails, you’ll need to identify the trojan in order to manually get rid of it. No doubt a scanner at least located the troublesome file(s). One thing you could do is go to Start > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs. If you can’t find the trojan this way, try pressing control + Alt + Delete to get a list of running processes, and make sure to click “end process” if you find a trojan. Sometimes a trojan has been around for awhile and you’ll be able to get its name by searching how you got it, or the name of the email message/special offer/download name in a web browser.
Message boards, forums, and online tutorials on your specific trojan are the best, safest ways to get rid of trojans. Most sites will tell you that there is one way that always works to remove a trojan. While there are certain principals to think of (find it, stop it from starting, delete it), trojans are a diverse malware and each calls for specific steps to be taken, files to be deleted, and programs to be used. If you have one, searching your AV program’s website for tutorials is a great place to start. If you do a significant amount of work on computers, it would be a good idea to have a backup for these situations.
When all else fails, a clean reinstall may be your best bet to get rid of a trojan. This may seem like burning down Troy to kill some Greeks, but even the most experienced users must resort to extreme tactics now and then. Back up your (uninfected) files and bust out that operating system (OS) disc. Sure it takes a couple of hours, but you’ll be able to rest easy knowing that you’re rid of the trojan and whatever effects it came with. If you are uncomfortable doing this, take your computer, your OS disc, and anything else you’d like reinstalled to a professional.
Preventing the day you have to get rid of a trojan will save you a lot of heartache. I think the relative anonymity of the Internet brings out the true nature of human kind. Malice. If something seems too good to be true…(you know this). Try using Firefox or Sufari as a web browser instead of Explorer, which is more prone to malware. Another way to avoid trouble is by ignoring that fat loaf of spam in your email account. Getting spam in your email account is a part of virtual life, but nothing says you have to open it.“Get Rid of Trojan”
Google searches for trojans are on the rise. Phrases like “get rid of trojan” and “trojan removal” seem to be going up each month, indicative of growth in this type of malware and the insidious industry of identity theft. Yeah, it’s a scary world out there in cyberspace, but don’t get too paranoid. If you search safely and are weary of pop-ups and absurd offers, you’ll likely never deal with a trojan. Some AV sites I’ve visited are suggesting using a plethora of different programs to protect your computer. Well, just like the hackers who trojaned your machine, these companies want to make money. If you use a separate program for spyware, adware, viruses, trojans, and the other garbage, your computer will be slowed down so badly, you may as well just download some malware. If you do a lot of work on your computer and it contains sensitive files, then you’re going to want to up the ante a bit. The average user should need nothing beyond ONE anti-virus program and a firewall (ZoneAlarm is my recommendation). It is good to have a healthy fear of these things, but you need not fall victim to convulsions of neurotic paranoia.
