There are numerous types of malware that hackers & cybercriminals often use to launch attacks on businesses. While certain types of malicious software programs are not hard to detect, some are more dangerous, such as trojan horse and ransomware. Trojans come off as legit software or download, so the user is tricked into downloading it. Hackers often use trojan to gain unauthorized access into networks and devices, which is also known as a backdoor attack. This could be related to gaining access to data, spying on user activities, or even launching another malware attack.
This brings us to the question – Can you really prevent trojan attacks on your business? Experts and cybersecurity insiders agree that trojans can be detected and prevented, as long as proactive measures are taken. There are some quick steps to prevent a trojan attack –
- Firstly, educate your employees. They are often handling all data, systems, networks, networked devices and resources, and they need to know what a trojan is all about. They should be guided on aspects like safe browsing and how to detect a suspicious file, email or attachment.
- All software, firmware and operating systems should be updated to the latest version. This is critical not just to prevent trojans, but all kinds of malware. Old legacy software and other programs that are not in use must be removed immediately.
- Ensure that there is an antimalware program on every networked device and computer, so that presence of trojans can be alerted to users. Such software can offer information on links, attachments, downloads and emails that are suspicious.
- Firebreaks and firewalls should be deployed all across the organization. A firewall protects devices, while firebreak or network segmentation helps in dividing network resources into subnetworks, so that compromise on one doesn’t impact all others.
- Scheduling regular network and device scans and tests is also important. Keep in mind that trojans are hard to detect, and unless scans are done, the management may never know that a backdoor has been created.
What also matters is password management. Make sure that employees know how to create strong passwords, and more importantly, ask them to use a password manager. They should also know about social engineering, using examples as how hackers have attacked other companies in recent years. Check online for hiring cybersecurity experts to strengthen your security perimeters further. Trojans can be avoided – Just don’t let the guard down!
