The Creepy Backdoor Threat

A backdoor Trojan is the horror show equivalent of the you close your eyes, ready to pounce as soon as you drift off. Backdoor Trojans are tiny programs that give remote attackers unfettered access to your computer. What can they do with that access?

Anything you can do. That includes uploading and running other programs, deleting files, and even stealing your data.

As with keyloggers, the best defense is a strong offense. Keep your antivirus and security patches fully up to date, avoid opening attachments or following unsolicited links, and secure your browser against Web-based malware. Use a permission-based firewall such as ZoneAlarm to check for unexpected outbound attempts from programs on your compupter. In addition, close any firewall ports that aren't absolutely necessary and use a program like TCPView to see if there are any ports suspiciously listening for unexpected traffic.

Ease your high-tech fears with LAPTOP's 31 security tips >>