A giant Trojan Horse, built from nearly a tonne of discarded electronics, is turning heads at the c0c0n International Cyber Summit, an international cybersecurity conference organised under the leadership of the Kerala Police Cyberdome and the Information Security Research Association. The art installation serves as a powerful physical metaphor for one of cyberspace’s most insidious threats.
The striking sculpture is the work of artist Davinci Suresh, who spent a month-and-a-half painstakingly assembling the piece. Discarded computer keyboards, motherboards, hard drives, chips, processors and cables collected from across Kerala were used to bring the installation to life.
The artwork’s message is a direct parallel to its namesake. In Greek mythology, soldiers hid inside a wooden horse to secretly enter the city of Troy. Today, Trojan Horse malware uses the same deceptive tactic, disguising itself as a useful app or file to infiltrate digital devices and steal personal data.
By using the very components of our digital lives, the e-waste horse provides a tangible warning about the hidden dangers lurking online. The installation at the c0c0n summit makes a memorable statement on the importance of digital safety.
