For the unversed, trojan horse is a type of malware. Trojans look like genuine software, or authentic download, so the user is tricked into downloading the malware. Once in place, trojan horse can do many things for the hacker. From creating a backdoor for remote access, to installing ransomware to extort money, trojans can have varied uses for cybercriminals.
So, what does it take to prevent trojan horse attacks? In this guide, we have a few solutions and basic tips for businesses.
- Let your employees know. Educating your employees about phishing scams, trojan horse attacks, and other types of malware, is extremely important. Aware employees will ensure safe browsing and further report emails and links that may seem suspicious.
- Use network segmentation. Also called a firebreak, network segmentation basically involves dividing company IT resources on subnetworks. If one subnetwork is infected by a trojan file, it can be isolated easily and will not affect other subnetworks.
- Make the most of firewalls. Firewalls are so popular, and yet, many companies don’t take the advantages of such software seriously. It is wise to place all networked devices behind firewalls for extra protection.
- Install antispyware and antimalware software. There are a bunch of options to choose from, but these software products are extremely useful again trojan horse attacks. Trojans can be used for spying, and therefore, antispyware is handy.
- Watch out for third-party downloads. Employees are often tricked by hackers into downloading a file, promising genuine software for free. This kind of third-party downloads typically can contain trojans, or other types of malware.
- Change default passwords. Another great step for malware prevention in general is to change default passwords. Ask employees to create strong passwords and suggest a reliable password management tool.
- Testing and scans can be useful to find malware like trojans. Ensure that IT environments are tested and scanned for security issues, because something like backdoor can be hard to detect otherwise.
In conclusion
Cybersecurity requires a proactive approach, and to prevent trojans, your entire organization needs to be collaborative about implementing the steps mentioned above. That said, ensure that you also have an incident response plan in place. Sometimes, people make mistakes, and that may lead to trojan or malware infection. Your IT security team should know what exactly must be done to control damage and get rid of the malware, without wasting any time. Get your employees ready to tackle trojans, by focusing on security training.