Posts: 274
Threads: 25
Joined: Nov 2003
Can any of the computer guys on this forum tell me the difference between a trojan and a virus? I've had my Mcafee subscription for over 4 yeaars, and thought it was perhaps a waste of money, as it would scan weekly and there were never any incidents until yesterday. My computer was acting a litle strange, so I executed a full scan and it showed that 2 trojans were found and quarantined. Do I have to worry about any info being stolen from my computer? Unfortuntely this is also my work/business computer. I have lots of important files. A little scary. Now I feel better paying that yearly subscription, but wondering how these things slipped by it. I NEVER open "forward" emails, or download anything. I always thought I was extra cautious. Thanks!!Angela
Posts: 2,980
Threads: 177
Joined: Aug 2006
Without the trojan, you can get a virus.
Posts: 859
Threads: 10
Joined: May 2008
virus A program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes. Viruses can also replicate themselves. All computer viruses are manmade. A simple virus that can make a copy of itself over and over again is relatively easy to produce. Even such a simple virus is dangerous because it will quickly use all available memory and bring the system to a halt. An even more dangerous type of virus is one capable of transmitting itself across networks and bypassing security systems.
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
In short a Virus is a program the runs itself and a Trojan is one the needs you to run it.
-----------------------------------------------------------
I do not believe that America is better than everybody else...
America "IS" everybody else.
HBAT
-----------------------------------------------------------
I do not believe that America is better than everybody else...
America "IS" everybody else.
The Wilder Side Of Hawaii
Posts: 5,640
Threads: 101
Joined: Dec 2008
Your McAfee probably picked up the Trojans when they arrived so I wouldn't be too worried about it.
There are plenty of free antivirus programs out there that work just as well and cost nothing, eg AVG Free.
Posts: 274
Threads: 25
Joined: Nov 2003
Thanks everyone. The scary part was that I was the one that initiated the "FULL scan" that's when the 2 trojans were detected, and quarantined. I wonder, I recently started doing Facebook, that's the only out of the ordinary program I've used. I wonder if they got in through there somehow. So if Mcafee says, they are" quarantined" does this mean they are destroyed? I'm kind of new to this jargon. Thanks again! Angela
Posts: 5,640
Threads: 101
Joined: Dec 2008
You can probably set up your McAfee to scan daily. With AVG Free it scans daily by default and also updates the virus database daily. There have been some problems with Facebook but I don't know if it involves Trojans.
If they've been quarantined then you're safe.
Posts: 274
Threads: 25
Joined: Nov 2003
Thanks Paul, that makes me feel a lot better.
Posts: 1,243
Threads: 55
Joined: Feb 2008
LOL... Glen... you are too funny for words. [
]
quote:
Originally posted by Glen
Without the trojan, you can get a virus.
Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany
www.eastbaypotters.com
www.myhawaiianhome.blogspot.com
Posts: 274
Threads: 25
Joined: Nov 2003
Boy I'm a little slow this morning.
I didn't catch your comment until now Glen. I always enjoy your humor, I should have read between the lines.
Posts: 388
Threads: 22
Joined: Jan 2009
This is all a mystery to an old school illiterate such as myself, and I keep scratching my head as to why bad people would go through all this trouble in order to screw with our computers. I can't accept the notion that these cyber-criminals are doing it in order to suck personal, useful information out of the circuits because there are tens of millions of us out there and it would take forever to scan even a small fraction and then they would have to actually make use of the information they obtain, but only after sorting out the people who aren't broke. I guess the direct Email scam artists have nothing better to do with their miserable lives other than to think up ways to con stupid, greedy people out of a few thousand bucks and of course there's the twisted clowns who have fun getting people upset but in the final analysis, they're all small potatoes and I don't understand why these creeps don't get caught. As such, here I am, sitting in my dumb little corner of the universe, thinking that the only ones who are making millions on the issue are those who are running industries that compel us to buy the products which keep the viruses, trojans, gnats, bats, and coqui frogs at bay.
