Trojan
A type of malicious software that disguises itself as a legitimate programme to deceive users into installing it, named after the Trojan Horse of Greek mythology
The Meaning of Trojan
The computing term "Trojan" or "Trojan horse" describes malware that presents itself as harmless or useful software while concealing malicious code. The name was adopted directly from the Greek myth of the Trojan Horse — just as the Greeks concealed warriors inside an apparently innocent gift, a Trojan programme conceals harmful functions inside apparently useful software. The term was first used in a computing context in a 1974 US Air Force report by Daniel Edwards and entered mainstream usage in the 1980s as personal computers became common targets for malicious software. Unlike viruses, Trojans do not self-replicate; they rely on social engineering to trick users into executing them. Common Trojan payloads include backdoors that allow remote access, keyloggers that capture passwords, and ransomware that encrypts files for extortion. The naming convention reflects a broader pattern in cybersecurity of drawing on classical mythology: terms like Trojan, backdoor, and honeypot all use ancient deception metaphors to describe modern digital threats. The classical education of early computer scientists ensured that Greek mythology became deeply embedded in computing terminology.
Parents
None recorded
Symbols
Fun Fact
The first use of "Trojan horse" in computing appeared in a 1974 US Air Force report, decades before cybersecurity became a mainstream concern
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Trojan Horse
💭 conceptMilitary deception and computing
The wooden horse used by the Greeks to infiltrate Troy, now a universal metaphor for any deceptive strategy that conceals a hidden threat within an apparent gift
Pandora's Box
💭 conceptCuriosity and unintended consequences
A proverbial expression for any action that creates irreversible and widespread problems, derived from the myth of the first woman who opened a jar releasing all evils into the world
Pharmakon
💭 conceptThe substance that is both cure and poison
The Greek word that means simultaneously medicine and poison — a concept that embodies the duality at the heart of all power.
Oracle
💭 conceptLanguage and technology
An English word meaning a source of wise counsel or authoritative prediction, derived from the oracular shrines of ancient Greece where gods spoke through human intermediaries
Trojan Horse
💭 conceptThe stratagem that ended the Trojan War
The hollow wooden horse used by the Greeks to infiltrate and destroy Troy. Devised by Odysseus, it is history's most famous act of deception.
Ostracism
💭 conceptPolitical science and Athens
An English word meaning social exclusion, derived from the Athenian practice of banishing citizens by popular vote using pottery shards called ostraka
Orgia
💭 conceptreligion, mystery cults
Secret rites or sacred acts — the hidden ritual performances of mystery cults, particularly Dionysian worship, not originally referring to sexual excess.
Promethean
💭 conceptLanguage and ambition
An English adjective meaning daringly creative, rebellious, or boldly innovative, derived from the Titan Prometheus who stole fire from the gods and gave it to humanity
Hermetic
💭 conceptLanguage and alchemy
An English adjective meaning airtight or sealed, and also relating to esoteric or occult knowledge, both senses deriving from Hermes through different mythological traditions
Hydra
💭 conceptLanguage and problem-solving
An English word for a persistent, multi-faceted problem that generates new difficulties when any part of it is addressed, derived from the Lernaean Hydra slain by Heracles
Tyranny
💭 conceptPolitical science and Athens
A form of government ruled by a single individual who seized power unconstitutionally, derived from the Greek tyrannos, which originally carried no negative connotation
Apotropaic
💭 conceptWarding off evil
Apotropaic rituals and symbols were used to ward off evil, bad luck, and malicious spirits — from Gorgon heads on temples to the evil eye protections still used today.