What Is a Trojan and How Do I Get Rid of One?

A Trojan Horse is effectively a type of computer virus that works by imitating something that users might want or find useful, such as music download software or even anti-virus software. This is to encourage computer users to download the Trojan, unknown to them. The user is therefore downloading this piece of malicious software themselves that goes on to attack their computer. These Trojan's will then infect the computer and allow the Trojan's creator to benefit. Typically, Trojan's allow hackers access to your computer; they are able to control your computer from their own meaning they can steal secure information it stores. If you store sensitive information on your computer, such as bank account details and important passwords, then they may be able to gain access to these.

So, if you establish or suspect your computer has been infected with a Trojan, how can you remove it?

There is software that can do this for you. If you have antivirus software (which you should always have installed on your computer) then you can try deleting the Trojan using this. Run a scan, and if the Trojan is detected is should give you an option to delete it. It may appear in a list of suspicious items. Where this is the case, select all the items you feel may be unsafe and delete them using the options available to you.

If you are unable to remove the Trojan using the antivirus software, you can delete it manually if you have a windows computer. First, click on the Start icon in the bottom, left-hand corner of your screen and click on this. A menu will appear, click on 'Control Panel' on the right-hand side of this menu. In the next box that appears click 'Programs'. Underneath Programs and Features in the following box click 'Uninstall a Program'. This will bring up a list of all programs installed on your computer. Here, select the program you wish to delete (the Trojan) and then click 'Uninstall', which is above the list of programs. This will uninstall the Trojan virus. Make sure you do not uninstall any programs that you wish to keep.

In an ideal world your computer won't get infected by a Trojan to begin with. Although you can never 100% guarantee this won't happen, there are things you can avoid to limit the chances. The first one may seem obvious; don't visit websites you are suspicious of, and especially, don't download anything you are unsure of. You should also avoid opening links in emails you are uncertain of, including those claiming to be from banks or government organisations, such as tax authorities. These are two of the most common ways that people contract viruses, including Trojan's.

Does antivirus software prevent your computer from being infected by a Trojan Horse? Yes, it should, but it is not guaranteed. If a Trojan is more advanced that the antivirus software designed to stop it, then you might still get infected. You are, though, much less likely to get infected if you have antivirus software installed, and you should always make sure you are protected and that it performs regular scans.

Andrew Marshall ©

Email Archiving Protects Your Data From The Wrong Kind Of People   VeriSign Secure Site Pro (SGC) With EV SSL for Securing Online Transactions   Identification of DDoS Attacks, Symptoms and Possible Solutions to Prevent Them   Why You May Want to Hide Your IP   How To Avoid Credit Card Fraud   Why Having a Secure Wireless Network Is Important   

VPN Services Vs Proxy Services

VPN Services and Proxy Services - An Important Distinction As we work our way through Virtual Private Networks and how they can be utilized to ensure that Internet security is never compromised, it's important to distinguish the difference between VPNs and Proxy Servers. Once they are defined, our hope is that you have a better understanding of the differences and the various elements that can leave you unsecured with one of them. While both can grant you access to websites even if you are in a nation that censors the internet, only one of them can protect and encrypt the information sent and prevent others from storing or viewing your session.

Virtual Private Networks VPNs, as they are called in the digital realm, provide a private intranet that individuals that have log-in information can access. When accessing a VPN, all information uploaded, downloaded, or otherwise transmitted is encrypted, ensuring that anyone who views the transmissions is denied the ability to read or use it. Even other users from other segmented intranets on the same VPN provider are not given access to the information, so your browsing or sharing session is completely privatized.

Proxy Servers Often confused with VPNs, proxy servers also provide a tunnelled connection to the Internet. However, they provide a completely different avenue of service. Proxy providers give you a way to circumvent specific restrictions and access the Internet through another, international, location. This is important when government restrictions prevent you from viewing specific websites. What they do not do, however, is encrypt your browsing session, which can still leave you vulnerable to cyber-attacks or spyware.

When you are using a VoIP platform, for example, your VPN provider will encrypt everything, guaranteeing that your conversation remains private. If you have the same VoIP conversation via a proxy server, you may avoid specific roadblocks along the way, but ultimately the information is still floating "out in space".

Speed is another discrepancy involves the speed of Internet access. Virtual private networks will always tend to run a bit faster than proxy servers largely in part because of the technology employed. When you access via a proxy server, the proxy sends a request to the site, which then sends the information back, and directly connects you to the website. VPNs tend to work faster, partly due to the better hardware/network that is typically being used with such a service.

Use a virtual private network to prevent prying eyes from stealing your personal information, maintain a high browsing speed, and ultimately protect yourself from any other cyber-threats that exist.

Email Archiving Protects Your Data From The Wrong Kind Of People   VeriSign Secure Site Pro (SGC) With EV SSL for Securing Online Transactions   Identification of DDoS Attacks, Symptoms and Possible Solutions to Prevent Them   Why You May Want to Hide Your IP   SSL Certificates Help You to Secure Yourself and Website to Prevent Holiday Hoaxes This Christmas