Trojan horse
0 antonyms and opposites of Trojan horse, grouped by meaning.
Noun — A program that looks harmless or useful but secretly damages a computer or gives an attacker access to it once it is installed.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
A program that looks harmless or useful but secretly damages a computer or gives an attacker access to it once it is installed.
“The free video converter turned out to be a Trojan horse that logged every password he typed.”
2. noun
A person, thing or plan that hides a harmful purpose behind an attractive or innocent appearance.
“Critics called the tax break a Trojan horse for dismantling the whole welfare system.”
How to use Trojan horse
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Neutral in computing; in politics and business it is an accusation and carries a strongly negative tone.
Etymology
From the Greek legend of the Trojan War, in which Greek soldiers hid inside a large wooden horse to get inside the walls of Troy.
Full origin of Trojan horse →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a Trojan horse and a virus?
A virus copies itself and spreads from file to file or machine to machine on its own. A Trojan horse does not self-replicate; it relies on the user willingly installing it because it appears to be something desirable. Many real infections combine both behaviours.
Where does the phrase Trojan horse come from?
It comes from the ancient Greek story of the siege of Troy, in which the Greeks pretended to sail away and left a giant wooden horse behind. The Trojans dragged it inside the walls, and the soldiers hidden within opened the gates at night.
Is 'Trojan horse' capitalised?
The first word usually is, because it refers to the city of Troy. In computing, the shortened form is very often written in lower case as 'a trojan'.