Spyware and its Protection

Spyware and other unwanted software refers to software that performs certain tasks on your computer, typically without your consent. This may include giving you advertising or collecting personal information about you. Learn more about the symptoms of spyware and other unwanted software and how you can help protect your computer.

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The Basics of Trojans

The "Trojan horse" applications discussed within this website are remote administration "hacker" utilities that will allow a user to control another user's computer across the Internet using the "client/server" approach. Trojan horse applications can provide equal, if not more control of a remote PC system than the person sitting at its key***rd.
Definitions

"Trojan"
- A Trojan (or a Trojan horse) is a destructive program that masquerades as a benign application. Unlike viruses, Trojan horses do not replicate themselves but they can be just as destructive.

"hacker"
- "Hacker" is a slang term for a computer enthusiast. Among professional programmers, the term hacker implies an amateur or a programmer who lacks formal training. Depending on how it used, the term can be either complimentary or derogatory, although it is developing an increasingly derogatory connotation.

"client/server" approach
- A client is defined as a requester of services and a server is defined as the provider of services.

"IP Address" (Internet Protocol Address)

- The address of a computer attached to a TCP/IP network (e.g. the Internet). Every client and server must have a unique IP address. Client workstations have either a permanent address or one that is dynamically assigned to them each dial-up session. IP addresses are written as four sets of numbers separated by periods; for example, **2.*68.***.222

"port"
- In an TCP/IP network (e.g. the Internet), a port represents an endpoint in the establishment of a connection between computers. For the computer that acts as the server, the port number will typically identify the type of service it is. For example, TCP port 80 is used for HTTP, TCP port 2* is used for FTP, and TCP port 25 is used for SMTP . It should be noted that there are 65,5*5 (64K) port numbers!

Which PC's can be affected?

Depending on the trojan involved, they're designed to affect Windows *5/*8 PC's, Windows NT PC's, or both.
How do the trojans work?

How a hacker establishes the connection to another user's computer, is that the hacker running the "client" portion establishes a connection to the IP address of a known PC that has the "server" portion installed upon it
If the hacker running the "client" portion doesn't know the IP address of the user's PC which has been compromised by the "server" portion. The hacker usually initiates a series of connections to a large range of IP addresses on the Internet (known as "scanning"), looking for any PC that responds back to the attempt. If a PC responds back, it responds with its IP address. Then all the hacker has to do, is to establish a connection to that IP address.

Keep in mind that **% of the time, the hacker doesn't have a specific target (or victim) to begin with, so any PC that answers back to their attempted connections satisfy their goal of hacking into another's PC.

Because the "server" portion is configured to use (or "listen" on) a particular port number, it's the client who attempts a connection to that specific port number to initiate the connection between computers.

NOTE: Some trojans may use more than one port number. This is because one port is used for "listening" and the other/s are used for the transfer of data.
Acquire an antivirus software product.
Believe it or not, the major players (McAfee AntiVirus, Norton AntiVirus, Command AntiVirus, etc.) in the AV market are including the ability for their software to detect a static string of code within each trojan. Therefore, I'd strongly s***est insuring that you keep up-to-date with your virus signature files. If your AV product does not detect these trojans, send an email to the mfg'r and request that they do.