Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Cybersecurity Practice Test

What type of software specifically disguises itself as harmless but is actually malicious?

1. Worm

2. Trojan Horse

3. Rootkit

4. Adware

The correct answer is: Trojan Horse

The correct answer is Trojan Horse. This type of software is designed to appear harmless or beneficial to the user while it conceals its malicious nature. The term is derived from the famous Greek story about the deceptive wooden horse that allowed troops to infiltrate the city of Troy. Similarly, a Trojan Horse in cybersecurity tricks users into downloading and executing the program, believing it performs a useful function, while it secretly carries out harmful actions, such as stealing data or creating backdoors for further attacks. In contrast, while worms can replicate themselves across networks and require no human interaction to spread, they do not typically disguise themselves as legitimate software. Rootkits are designed to gain unauthorized access and maintain control over a computer system, often hiding their presence through sophisticated methods, but they do not typically masquerade as benign applications. Adware, on the other hand, is often used for legitimate advertising and may not be inherently malicious, although it can negatively impact user experience by displaying unwanted advertisements. Thus, the defining characteristic of a Trojan Horse is its deceptive guise as harmless software, setting it apart distinctly from the other types listed.