Information Technology IT – 5 eSecurity | e-Consult

Trojan Horse: A Trojan horse is a malicious program disguised as legitimate software. It relies on social engineering to trick users into executing it.

• Propagation: Requires user interaction (e.g., downloading and running an infected file). It does not self-replicate.
• Objectives: Often used to create backdoors, steal data (passwords, financial information), or provide remote access to the attacker. It can also perform other malicious actions depending on its design.
• Impact: Typically affects individual systems. The damage is usually limited to the compromised machine, although it can be used as a launching point for further attacks.

Worm: A worm is a self-replicating malware program that spreads across networks without requiring user interaction.

• Propagation: Exploits vulnerabilities in operating systems or applications to spread automatically. It can propagate through networks, email, or removable media.
• Objectives: Can cause network congestion by consuming bandwidth, disrupt system operations, steal data, or create backdoors.
• Impact: Can have a widespread impact, affecting multiple systems within a network. Worms can cause significant disruption and data loss.

Key Difference: The primary difference lies in propagation. Trojans require user action, while worms are self-propagating. Trojans rely on deception, while worms exploit vulnerabilities.