Final answer:
Trojan horses are viruses that masquerade as useful programs like a computer game, an MP3 file, or some other useful innocuous program. They deceive users by appearing harmless, but once executed, they can perform malicious activities such as stealing personal information or damaging the computer system.
Step-by-step explanation:
Trojan horses are viruses that masquerade as useful programs like a computer game, an MP3 file, or some other useful innocuous program. They are named after the Trojan Horse from Greek mythology, which was a deceptive gift that allowed Greek soldiers to infiltrate the city of Troy. Similarly, Trojan horse viruses deceive users by appearing harmless, but once executed, they can perform malicious activities such as stealing personal information or damaging the computer system.
For example, a Trojan horse virus may be disguised as a popular video game that users download and install. Once installed, the virus gains access to the user's computer and can collect sensitive information like passwords or credit card details without the user's knowledge.
It is important to have up-to-date antivirus software and exercise caution when downloading and installing programs to prevent falling victim to Trojan horse viruses.