Trojan horses

Noun

Trojan horse (plural Trojan horses)

1. (figuratively) A subversive person or device placed within the ranks of the enemy.
2. (computer security) A malicious program that is disguised as legitimate software.
   • Worse than what could be observed about the program was the fear that it might be a Trojan horse program -- apparently innocent, but carrying a string of code instructing the computer to carry out a specific damaging instruction at some later time.1991, Katie Hafner, John Markoff, Cyberpunk: Outlaws and Hackers on the Computer Frontier, revised edition, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, pages 255–256

   Synonyms:

   Trojan

3. A seemingly favorable offer designed to trick customers into making exorbitant payments.
4. A person, organization, social movement, piece of legislation, or ideology with a negative agenda or evil intentions under the guise of positive values or good intentions.
   • Russia thinks of an atomic authority as a Trojan horse to get behind the iron curtain and impair her defense, and there is some reason historically for this view.1946 October, John Foster Dulles, quotee, American Bar Association Journal, volume 32, number 10, page 681

See all 5 meanings of Trojan horse