Trojan
A
destructive
program that masquerades as a benign application. Unlike
viruses, Trojan horses do not replicate themselves but they
can be just as destructive. One of the most insidious types of
Trojan horse is a program that claims to rid your computer of
viruses but instead introduces viruses onto your
computer.
The term comes from the
a Greek story of the Trojan War, in which the Greeks give a giant
wooden horse to their foes, the Trojans, ostensibly as a peace
offering. But after the Trojans drag the horse inside their city
walls, Greek soldiers sneak out of the horse's hollow belly and open
the city gates, allowing their compatriots to pour in and capture
Troy.
November 12th 2008