Oxford, Cambridge and RSA (OCR) GCSE Computer Science Practice Exam

A Trojan Horse is a term used to describe a type of malicious software that disguises itself as a legitimate program to deceive users. This software often appears harmless or useful to encourage users to download and install it, but its true purpose is to perform harmful actions without the user's consent. These actions can include stealing sensitive information, providing unauthorized access to the user's system, or installing additional malware.

In the context of computer security, the concept of a Trojan Horse is analogous to the ancient Greek myth, where a deceptive wooden horse was used to infiltrate a city. Similarly, Trojan malware masquerades as something benign to exploit user trust.

While options like worms, spyware, and adware relate to various types of malicious software, they do not specifically involve disguising a harmful intent under the guise of a legitimate program. Worms are self-replicating malware that spread across networks, spyware gathers user information without consent, and adware displays unwanted advertisements, often without concealing its intent as effectively as a Trojan Horse.