Anti-Spy Advice Page

Trojans are a type of virus, this category of virus spreads in the same way as many other viruses, but there purpose is different. A Trojan basically acts like at virus but instead of damaging your system, what a Trojan does is try to find a way to allow a hacker to access your system via the internet, in some cases giving them full control of your system without your knowledge.

Most Trojans open an Internet port called a backdoor; it then can send your i.p. number to the hacker/s, and then keep the port open and wait for a hacker to log onto your i.p. and take control, again this leaves broadband users more vulnerable, because in most cases your I.P. number never changes, so the hacker has more time to attack your system, and also if your I.P. number doesn't change he/she could comeback at any time and access your system again.

When hackers get control of your computer they can do a lot of damage, but this depends on what level of control the Trojan gives to the hacker, in extreme cases, they can basically do anything that the administrator can do, access/edit/copy or delete any file they wish, take control of the keyboard or mouse. The main worry really, they can get access to passwords / visa details and other private information or files that can be of value to them.

Because Trojans are a type of virus most of the top anti-virus software will find and kill trojans, but the most effective way of finding trojans on your system and also to check your ports to see if a Trojan has already opened one, is by using a Trojan scanner, such as Anti-Trojan, Tauscan and Swat It (Free), both of these are a really good defence against Trojan viruses, but to be totally sure that these Trojans are not allowed to open a port your last line of defence is again your firewall, for more information on firewalls see the Internet Security section.