CompTIA Network+ Practice Test

Which of the following best describes the behavior of a Trojan horse?

1. It spreads on its own without user action

2. It mimics legitimate software to gain access to systems

3. It deletes data upon installation

4. It requires a user to disable security settings

The correct answer is: It mimics legitimate software to gain access to systems

The behavior of a Trojan horse is best described by the option indicating that it mimics legitimate software to gain access to systems. Trojan horses are a type of malicious software that disguise themselves as legitimate applications or files to trick users into downloading and executing them. Once installed, they can perform a variety of harmful actions, such as stealing sensitive information, providing unauthorized access to other malicious actors, or installing additional malware. In contrast, the other options describe characteristics or behaviors of different types of malware. Some malicious software might spread on its own, which is not applicable to Trojans as they typically rely on user interaction for installation. While some malware may delete data, this does not universally define the behavior of a Trojan, which can have a range of functions beyond just data deletion. Lastly, while a Trojan might take advantage of certain security vulnerabilities, it does not inherently require users to disable security settings to function, although that could potentially facilitate its operation. Thus, the key aspect of a Trojan horse is its deceptive nature, masquerading as benign software to gain access to a user’s system.