Do you know what a Trojan horse is? It is malware that disguises itself as a usual program on your PC. Once you click on any unknown links or perform any action that executes a Trojan, the malware spreads across your PC, and accesses saved vital information. Since they hide in plain sight, Trojan horse malware goes undetected, and its impact is lethal. This is why to stay protected against such malware, we need to know the tell-tale signs of Trojan malware and how to remove it.
This post discusses Trojan malware, how to remove it, and tips to keep in mind to stay protected.
What is Trojan horse Malware? The Origin
The Trojan horse malware gets its name from the famous tales of Odysseus, a Greek king who hid his soldiers in a fake wooden horse to get them inside the city of Troy.
The tale indicates how the king made a wooden horse a decoy to hide his soldiers & attack the enemy without anyone else knowing. Similarly, a Trojan horse is a malicious program that gets into your system with other vital files and infects it as soon as it is executed. 
Trojan horses are usually a part of targeted attacks & help access private information about the data and the system. To entice the users, hackers create dedicated links, email attachments, and download file pop-ups, indirectly pushing users to download the trojan & execute it, giving hacker instant access to the data.
If you habitually open unknown links or download every attachment you receive in your mail without scanning, chances are your PC already has a Trojan waiting to explode. Does this ring any bell? If yes, look for the following signs on your PC.
Early Signs Of PC Being Infected By a Trojan
Your PC’s performance declines when it faces issues related to a malware attack. Here are some signs that tell that your PC might have Trojan horse malware –
1. Your PC Starts Slowing Down
Slowed performance of your system is the first and foremost sign of any malware attack on a PC. The same goes in the case of a Trojan, as it also slows down your PC.
2. Your Browser Keeps Opening Pop-Ups
Users often think ads like Sinewedretore.casa popups are genuine. However, such ads are generally directed attacks caused by the Trojan horse installed on your PC.
3. You Start Experiencing Unnecessary Redirects
Another telltale sign of your PC having a Trojan is the unnecessary redirects you encounter while using a browser. The Trojan wants you to send as much information to the attacker as possible. Hence, when you use your browser, every other ink you try to open redirects you to a completely different website.
4. You Receive Ads & Download Suggestions for Unnecessary Applications
Ads on the browser are still tolerable. However, have you come across those annoying pop-ups on your taskbar? These are also courtesy of Trojan malware and a clear sign that your PC is infected.
5. The boot time for your PC gradually increases.
The boot time, or the time your system takes to restart your PC, gradually increases when you are under a Trojan attack. The worst part of it is that it doesn’t happen immediately. It takes time and slows down your boot time. Eventually, making it so slow you might skip using your PC!
These signs confirm that your PC is infected with malware. However, these in no way imply that it is the job of a Trojan. There can be other viruses and malicious files as well. That is why you need proper methods to detect a Trojan horse from your system. Check out the next section for the same!
How to Detect & Remove a Trojan horse From Your PC?
The signs warn you to be careful before opening any unknown files on your PC. If you see these signs, you should implement a few ways to detect and remove these viruses to enhance your PC performance.
#1 – Remove Any Unknown Applications & Files
If your PC has started showing most of the signs mentioned in the previous section, a Trojan has already made its way into your PC. The first thing you should do is clear your downloads of any unwanted files. Simply go to the folder and shift+del them to remove those files.
In case you have recently installed an application after which the signs have become more evident, uninstall them! To do so, –
- Press Windows+R to open the Run Search.
- In the run, type control and hit the Enter key.
- This will open the Control Panel for your PC.
- In the Control panel, look for the ‘Programs’ tile with the ‘Uninstall a program option.’
- Open it and click the ‘Installed on’ option to filter applications based on their installation.
- This will give you an idea of which applications were installed last.
- Remove the recently installed applications after which you started experiencing issues.
- Restart your computer to check if there is any difference.
Since the Control Panel lists all the installed applications, if you find any unknown software installed, you can uninstall those apps as they can be infected.
#2 – Check Task Manager for Unnecessary Processes Running in the Background
Sometimes your PC is infected by a Trojan in the form of a pseudo-application. This means a process keeps running in the background and impacts your PC. What you need to do is spot that process, kill it, and then remove the application associated with it.
You can use the following steps to do so –
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc on your keyboard to bring up the Task Manager.
- In the opened window, find the details of the processes by clicking on the details icon in the left panel.
- Monitor all the running processes along with their description.
- The description tab shares the objective of the process. You can close all the unnecessary ones to save resources.
- In case you do not see anything odd, look for multiple processes of the same application. Sometimes, the Trojan horse malware disguises itself as an existing app.
- For instance, the image above shows how many Chrome processes are running while only a single tab is active. This indicates that the issue may lie with Chrome.
- Simply save any progress in the running tab and close the application completely. Then do the same from the Task Manager. The processes that keep coming again indicate that there is Trojan malware.
Simply remove the infected application from your PC and reinstall it. Make sure that this time you have added protection.
#3- Scan Your PC With T9 Antivirus
Another effective way to identify if your system has a Trojan or any other malware is to run a quick scan using an effective antivirus program like the T9 Antivirus. An antivirus suite can help you determine whether any program is causing issues with your system. It can also help you keep such malware out of your system.
Most users often need clarification about choosing the correct antivirus program. This is because there are so many of them available in the market. If you, too, are confused, you can cut the confusion and go straight to T9 antivirus’ official website to download it for good.
The tool is effective when it comes to detecting malware like Trojan horses. To initiate a scan, all you have to do is –
- Download and install the program on your computer.
- Run the application, and you will find an option to run a scan.
- Instantly run a scan using the option and let it finish.
The tool will now automatically detect all the infected programs and try to fix them for you instantly. It is the most efficient way to spot Trojan malware as it is completely automated. With the help of these ways and by keeping a few tips in mind, you can easily keep hackers and viruses away from your computer.
Odysseus Got Away With Trojan, But Your Attacker Won’t!
Trojan horse malware is one of the most pressing issues that users face. Thanks to antivirus programs like T9 antivirus and its real-time protection, users no longer have to worry about getting infected.
And with that, we have reached the end of this post. If you have read so far, you now know all the telltale signs, what a Trojan horse can do to your computer, and, more importantly, what you need to do if a Trojan has attacked your PC.
If you have any other doubts about the same, please drop us a line. You can also connect with us through social media. Stay alert, stay safe! Download T9 antivirus for advanced protection!
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