What is the Difference Between viruses and Trojans? with Proper Definition and Brief Explanation

the main difference between viruses and Trojan is that the virus is one malicious software that can copy itself and damage the system destroying data, while Trojan is malicious software that appears as a reliable software to gain access to the target system.                                                          viruses and Trojans

Malware is malicious software that is specifically written to harm the host system. There are several types of intrusive software. Two of them are viruses and Trojans or Trojans. These programs can affect the functionality of the entire system. However, a virus is a harmful piece of code that can infect the other programs on the host system. It can spread once it is run. On the other hand, a Trojan is designed to make the user think that they are harmless. They can mislead users and steal personal and financial data. Using effective antimalware software can protect your system from various malware threats.

Key areas covered                                viruses and Trojans

1. What is a virus
     – Definition, Functionality
2. What is a Trojan
     – Definition, Functionality
3. What is the difference between viruses and Trojans?
     – Comparison of key differences

Key terms

Malware, Trojan Horse, Virus

What is a virus                                    viruses and Trojans

A virus is a program that can destroy computer data. You can create copies of yourself and insert your code into other programs. Viruses can spread through the system by affecting files, folders, and data. Downloading files from malicious websites, unpatched software, pen drives, and email attachments are some methods for viruses to enter the system.

Viruses can cause harmful effects, such as problems with network use, corrupted data, damage to computing resources, and changes in settings. A user can prevent a virus from entering the system by installing effective malware software. It is also important to avoid unknown attachments and to avoid downloading files from untrusted websites.

What is trojan

Trojan or Trajan Horse is a program that appears to be safe, but is capable of misleading users. Trojans can mislead the user into opening an email attachment, clicking on a fake ad on social media, etc.

In addition, it can take over file system resources on the host computer. It can make the host system unavailable to those trying to reach it. For example, you can make the user’s business network unavailable. Furthermore, ransomware is another type of advanced malware. Prevents users from accessing the system until they pay a certain fee. These ransomware attacks are carried out using Trojans.

Difference between viruses and Trojans

Definition

Viruses are a type of malicious software that can be replicated by modifying other computer programs and inserting its own code. Trojan or Trojan is a malicious computer program that can mislead users about its true intention. Therefore, this is the basic difference between viruses and Trojans.

Main functionality

While a virus copies itself and spreads throughout the system to corrupt data and system resources, Trojans gain illegal access to the user’s system to extract confidential information.

Injecting malicious code

Also, another difference between viruses and Trojans is that viruses try to inject their code into other files to spread. But the Trojan does not try to inject itself into other files.

System Login Methods

Another important difference between viruses and Trojans is the way they enter the system. Viruses can enter the system by downloading files from malicious websites, unpatched software, pen drives, and email attachments. Trojans can enter the system by appearing as attractive social media ads that mislead users into loading or running them.

conclusion

The difference between virus and Trojan is that virus is malicious software that can copy itself and damage the system by destroying data, while Trojan is malicious software that appears as trusted software to gain access to the target system.

Reference:

1. “Computer viruses”. Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, September 26, 2018, Available here.
2. “Trojan Horse (Computing)”. Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, September 17, 2018, Available here.
3. “What is a Trojan virus? | How to prevent Trojan virus attacks ”. Business Security News | Endpoint Protection Solutions Blog | Comodo, Google, May 7, 2018, Available here.

Courtesy Image:

1. “1446110” (CC0) via Pixabay
2. “Trojan virus illustration” By Santeri Viinamäki (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia