How to Beat Trojan Virus and Worm Attack

Author: John Noble

Article:
Trojans can erase your disk, send your credit card numbers and
passwords to a stranger or let others use your computer for
illegal purposes like denial of service attacks, crippling
networks for months. Just like the original Trojan Horse that
was built by the Greeks, the Trojan Horse Virus for your
computer is actually something unwanted concealed within
something that seems good and positive. Like sharks in a feeding
frenzy, these hacker mercenaries view Instant Messaging clients
as their personal bank because of the ease by which they can
access your computer via the publicly open and interpretable
standards. They unleash a Trojan horse, virus, or worm, as well
as gather your personal and confidential information, and sell
it to other criminals.

Many major operating system vendors have automatic update
services. Many hardware vendors and other software packages have
followed this trend, incorporating automated update services
into their products. In some cases, the services for automatic
updates run as the local "system" account. This account has the
ability to access and modify most of the operating system and
application environment. If this update service can be infected
than millions of computers can be infected quickly. Hackers
riding piggyback on viruses have only a short window of
opportunity to maximize their gain before the viruses are
detected, neutralized and logged into Virus Definition
databases, 'vaccinating' the system against those strains.
Without continuing system vulnerability caused by virus
infection there is little they can do to further their malicious
ends like stealing personal information, credit card details and
other sensitive and vital data.

Many fine examples of Spyware, Trojan and Worm removal software
are available, but you must be careful you only download a
reputable programme from a reputable site. This is even more
important when using free or evaluation software. This is one
way that your system can be given a Trojan, through software
downloads and installation and obviously the software will not
protect you from its own malicious imbedded Trojan.

Because Instant Messaging operates on peer-to-peer (P2P)
networks, it spawns an irresistible temptation for malicious
computer hackers. P2P networks share files and operate on
industry standard codec (encryption codes) and industry standard
protocols, which are publicly open and interpretable. Most anti
virus software does not incorporate protection for Instant
Messaging services.

There is anti-Trojan software that specifically serves to get
rid of Trojan Horse virus types, and in most cases it is this
type of software you will want to use. You need to be protected
against the most common way that users are infected with a
Trojan program being through the spreading of it through emails.
The sender will send it to the recipient within an email
attachment that might say something like
"complementarytickets.jpg" or something along those lines that
will make you curious and open the file. Another increasingly
popular way that Trojan Horses have been spread to users is
through the ever-increasing instant messenger programs such as
Yahoo Messenger, AIM, ICQ, MSN messenger, and IRC. The one key
to remember about Trojans is that they have to be triggered by
some mechanism and will not spread themselves. For example, you
can have one in your email but you do not open the link then it
will not infect your system.

In today's online environment it's important to know what risks
lie ahead at each click. Every day millions of people go online
to find information, to do business, to have a good time. We've
been warned lots of times about stealing data -- identity theft,
phishing scams and pharming; we have at least heard of
denial-of-service attacks and "zombie" computers, and now one
more type of online attack has emerged: holding data for ransom.

So in summary what do we need to do? Well we need at least one
constantly updated anti-virus programme from a reputable source.
It must be specified and configured to detect and remove virus,
spyware, Trojans, and worms. We all need to be more careful when
opening emails from unknown senders and most of all, only
download from trusted sites.

About the author:
Independent expert advice by John Noble on PC software &
hardware security and computer maintenance for the home and
small business user. For additional information visit
http://www.pc-tools.us