In computing what is the name of a non-self-replicating type of malware program containing malicious code that appears to have some useful purpose but also contains code that has a malicious or harmful purpose imbedded in it, when executed, carries out actions that are unknown to the person installing it, typically causing loss or theft of data, and possible system harm.
Correct Answer: C
A trojan horse is any code that appears to have some useful purpose but also
contains code that has a malicious or harmful purpose imbedded in it. A Trojan often also includes
a trapdoor as a means to gain access to a computer system bypassing security controls.
Wikipedia defines it as:
A Trojan horse, or Trojan, in computing is a non-self-replicating type of malware program
containing malicious code that, when executed, carries out actions determined by the nature of the
Trojan, typically causing loss or theft of data, and possible system harm. The term is derived from
the story of the wooden horse used to trick defenders of Troy into taking concealed warriors into
their city in ancient Greece, because computer Trojans often employ a form of social engineering,
presenting themselves as routine, useful, or interesting in order to persuade victims to install them
on their computers.
The following answers are incorrect:
virus. Is incorrect because a Virus is a malicious program and is does not appear to be harmless,
it's sole purpose is malicious intent often doing damage to a system. A computer virus is a type of
malware that, when executed, replicates by inserting copies of itself (possibly modified) into other
computer programs, data files, or the boot sector of the hard drive; when this replication succeeds,
the affected areas are then said to be "infected".
worm. Is incorrect because a Worm is similiar to a Virus but does not require user intervention to
execute. Rather than doing damage to the system, worms tend to self-propagate and devour the
resources of a system. A computer worm is a standalone malware computer program that
replicates itself in order to spread to other computers. Often, it uses a computer network to spread
itself, relying on security failures on the target computer to access it. Unlike a computer virus, it
does not need to attach itself to an existing program. Worms almost always cause at least some
harm to the network, even if only by consuming bandwidth, whereas viruses almost always corrupt
or modify files on a targeted computer.
trapdoor. Is incorrect because a trapdoor is a means to bypass security by hiding an entry point
into a system. Trojan Horses often have a trapdoor imbedded in them.
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trojan_horse_%28computing%29
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_virus
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_worm
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backdoor_%28computing%29
