The Trojan Agent: Everything You Need to Know

What is the Trojan Agent? Is the Trojan.Agent dangerous? How can I protect myself? Every single question you might think of is covered in this article.

 What Is The Trojan Malware?

The word "Trojan" derives from the ancient Greek story. When the Greeks pretended to desert the war and left a wooden horse behind, they also left one of their soldiers to persuade the Trojans that the horse was harmless.

The horse was later brought inside the walls of Troy, and hundreds of Greek soldiers came out of it and opened the gates of the city to let in the returned Greek army. This Trojan horse was the reason the people of Troy lost the war.

In the 20th century, the term "Trojan horse" was applied to benign and malicious computer software and codes that seem legitimate to deceive their victims. Hackers employ the Trojan malware to gain access to people's devices and systems by deceiving them into believing that a certain malware is a legit software.

How do Trojans work?

For a Trojan malware to work, it must be executed by the victim. When someone sees a legit-looking software, they will trust it and execute it, which is how it infects the device. There are several ways in which someone might fall victim to the Trojan malware, including:

• Phishing or any other social engineering attack; the victim will open an infected email or a malicious link. 
   
• Malicious websites: the victim will open an infected website that will download a malware to their device.
   
• Malicious programs: the victim will download an innocent-looking program that is, in fact, a malware.
   
• Pop-ups: people can fall victim to pop-ups that appear to be warning messages from an Antivirus telling them that their device is infected and to follow the link to remove the virus.
   
• Attackers can exploit a vulnerability in the software of the victim. They can also create a fake Wi-Fi connection that will infect the device of those who connect to it.

What are the types of the Trojan malware?

According to Norton Antivirus and Kaspersky Antivirus, there are multiple types of Trojan malware; some of which are:

Backdoor Trojan

A backdoor Trojan will give the attacker a "backdoor" through which they will gain remote access to the infected device. The attacker then will be able to send commands to the infected device, such as sending, deleting, launching, and altering data, and rebooting your device.

Downloader Trojan

After infecting your device, a downloader Trojan will further affect your device by downloading more malware and adware. (Trojan Agent VBS)

Banker Trojan

As per its name, this Troan will steal your bank info for online banking systems and credit or debit card info.

Trojan IM

This Trojan will steal your info (logins and passwords) for instant messaging platforms.

DDoS Trojan

A Distributed Denial of Service attack will send many commands to your device overwhelming the network and denying you access to your data.

GameThief Trojan

This Trojan will steal the account info of gamers.

Ransom Trojan

This Trojan will "hold your data hostage" and encrypt it so that you can't access it. The attacker will then ask for a ransom in exchange with the decryption tool.

These are just a few of the types of the Trojan malware, and the list goes on.

What is the Trojan Agent?

We have established that the Trojan malware disguises itself as a legit software, which makes it harder to detect, if not impossible. However, even though cybercriminals may work hard for their malicious schemes, cybersecurity experts work harder to intercept such attempts.

The Trojan Agent is a Heuristic detection name for the Trojan horse malware. Antivirus programs started detecting different types of Trojan malware and classifying them under the name "Trojan Agent" so that when you use an Antivirus, it will detect and intercept any potential Trojan attack.

And whenever a new Trojan type is found, Antivirus services add it under the Trojan Agent name.

What are other names for the Trojan Agent?

There are other names that the Trojan Agent goes by, including Trojan:Win32/Agent (W32 Trojan), Trojan Agent EXQA (Trojan.Agent.EXQA ), Trojan Dropper Agent (Application.Dropper.T/Application.Dropper.U), and more.

Trojan Agent Tesla is a very well-known, dangerous Malware-as-a-Service RAT (Remote Access Trojan). Agent Tesla steals info such as credentials, keystrokes, clipboard data, and other info from the victims. It first appeared in 2014 and has been evolving since then. The good news is that experts have been keeping up with it and identifying every new form of the Trojan.

Trojan Malware Examples

According to Statista, Trojans account for 58% of all computer malware.

ToxicEye 

The IM platform Telegram was the most downloaded app worldwide in January 2021, with 63 million new installs and 500 monthly active users (SensorTower). Unfortunately, this sudden popularity made a perfect host for scammers and cybercriminals; a new RAT called ToxicEye has affected people and is being controlled by hackers on Telegram.

ToxicEye is being spread through phishing emails with malicious software embedded. When installed on the victim's computer, ToxicEye will:

• Steal data.
• Delete, transfer, and encrypt data.
• Command the PC to reboot or erase its data.
• Give attackers access to the victim's microphone and camera.

Joker Trojan

The Joker Trojan is a 2017 malware that was made to attack Android devices. The malware disguises itself as a legit app you can download from the Google Play Store. Once you download the malicious app, your device will be infected by the Trojan, connecting your device to a command-and-control server. 

The Trojan will then subscribe you to different paid ads and services without your permission, and you will only find out when the transaction happens. It does so by gaining access to your messages to take bank info and OTPs (one-time passwords) from your bank or credit card.

In 2019, when Trump banned trading with Huawei, Huawei users could not access the Google Play Store. So, Huawei created its own app store called AppGallery. Unfortunately, the Joker Trojan made its way to the AppGallery as well. And., there is no telling whether or not hackers will be able to upload such apps on Apple's App Store.
 

How Can I Protect Myself?

As we have mentioned before, Antivirus programs have special tools for detecting Trojan Agents and stopping them from infecting computers. So, we have tried tens of Antiviruses and come up with a list of the best ones in 2021.
 

1. Intego 
 

If you don't use a Macbook, you can scroll down to the next recommendation.

Many people consider the Mac operating system better than Windows, claiming it has better security protocols. However, it is not bulletproof, or to be more accurate, virus-proof. Intego provides Mac users with reliable and proficient real-time protection against Trojans, malware, viruses, and other cybersecurity threats.

While the macOS already has a somewhat strong firewall, Intego's firewall NetBarrier proved to be much stronger. NetBarrier is optimized to protect your Mac on private and public networks. In addition, this firewall gives you control over the websites and apps that want to send you ads and pop-ups, as some of them might contain malware or viruses. 

VirusBarrier is Intego's antivirus scanner. It has many features, including but not limited to; antivirus scans, malware detection and removal, real-time protection, and scheduled scans. In addition, VirusBarrier’s “Safe Browsing” feature protects you from malicious websites and emails.

Intego also has a Washing Machine” feature that combines a range of cleaning and performance optimization tools.

Mac Premium Bundle X9 Includes all features and has three plans:

• One device - $84.99 per year.
• Three devices - $115.99 per year.
• Five devices - $146.99 per year.

It is worth mentioning that Intego has a 30-day money-back guarantee. 

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2. Bitdefender 
 

BitDefender is an award-winning provider of innovative internet security solutions.

Bitdefender's invincible intrusion detection system efficiently detects both common and newly-merged sophisticated malware. In addition, its firewall makes sure to detect and intercept any Trojan, virus, or malware that tries to get to your system. It also offers a free Trojan Agent removal tool with every plan.

In case your device gets infected with a virus, Bitdefender has two solutions:

• Use the rescue tool from inside the antivirus report page.
• If your device isn't starting at all, you can use the USB rescue tool. 

Bitdefender has three plans:

• Antivirus: $19.99/ year (1 device), $29.99/ year (3 devices), $69.99/ year (5 devices), $79.99/ year (10 devices).
• Total security: $39.98/ year (5 devices), $44.99/ year (10 devices).
• Internet security: $24.99/ year (1 device), $34.99/ year (3 devices), $84.99/ year (5 devices), $89.99/ year (10 devices)

All plans have alternative periods of commitments: 2 or 3 years. In addition, all plans have a 30-day money-back guarantee.
 

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3. Norton 
 

Norton's advanced firewall will protect your device from any malware or viruses. In addition, not only does Norton have an intrusion detection system, but also an intrusion protection system. It is compatible with Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.

Norton has a downloadable rescue tool. If any virus or malware bypasses the first line of defense, you can turn to this tool.

Norton has a VPN with all plans. VPNs encrypt your data and mask your actual IP address, giving you a private and safe internet connection, away from the prying eyes of hackers and Trojans.

Norton has three plans:

• Norton 360 Standard: $39.99 per year - one device. 
• Norton 360 Standard: $54.99 per year - five devices.
• Norton 360 Premium: $69.99 per year - ten devices. 

All plans have a 60-day money-back guarantee.
 

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4. McAfee 
 

McAfee has a strong firewall to detect and intercept any attack. This firewall will completely intercept a Trojan Agent if any tries to infect your computer.

It also has an intrusion detection system to stop any possible intruder from getting to your device. McAfee is compatible with Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android devices. 

You can download the McAfee CleanBoot disk on a USB. This tool acts as a rescue mechanism if your device gets infected with a virus and cannot start. 

McAfee has four plans:

• Single device: $24.99 per year.
• Individual/Couples: $29.99 per year - 5 devices.
• Family: $34.99 per year - 10 devices.
• Ultimate: $69.99 per year - unlimited devices. 

All plans have a 30-day money-back guarantee. 

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5. Malwarebytes
 

Malwarebytes is a great choice for detecting and intercepting Trojans.

Malwarebytes has a Trojan.Agent tool made particularly to detect any malware that is "either associated with no specific malware families or not enough information is available to pinpoint the malware family." Malwarebytes will detect the Trojan Agent and will quarantine it so that it doesn't affect your computer.
 

Malwarebytes prices range between $39.99/year for one device, and $129.99/year for ten devices, with many options in between. It also offers a 60-day money-back guarantee for you to try their services before deciding whether or not you want to continue with them.

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Read more about our Antivirus recommendations in detail.
 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is the Trojan malware a virus?

No. The Trojan horse malware is a malicious code or software. It is not considered a virus because viruses can execute and replicate themselves, while Trojans cannot do that; they need to be executed by the victims to be activated. However, you will often hear or see people refer to it as a virus, as a misconception.

Can Microsoft Defender stop Trojans?

Microsoft Defender is made to detect and intercept Trojans. However, there are multiple cases where Windows users have fallen victim to the Trojan malware. So, it is advised that you always use an Antivirus for adding another layer of security.

Is the Trojan malware easy to remove?

The Trojan malware is a really hard malware to remove; it easily infects your device and hides itself in a way that makes it hard to find. However, a robust Antivirus program will easily and efficiently find and remove Trojans.

Does resetting the PC remove Trojans?

Not always; in some cases, a factory reset will remove any virus or malware on your PC. However, some malware, like Trojans, will stick around even after resetting your PC. This happens if either or all of the following applies: 1. your backup data is infected, 2. the malware is on the recovery partition of your PC, 3. you have a rootkit malware (one that has root-deep access to your OS), 4. other devices connected to your main device are infected.

Can Trojans be found in USB flashes?

Yes, USB flash drives can be infected with Trojan horses. You can detect them by using command prompts. Further, Antiviruses can detect and stop these Trojans.