It's possible it's not a trojan or backdoor in the traditional sense, Yes, you can hide them in images but there's more variables doing it that way (like determining the operating system you run on, making sure it's the right target IP and there's no mis-match targeting software for embedded code).
Additionally, since browsing history is not stored just locally on your device, but in the browser software itself (Chrome, Firefox etc), it's possible it's the result of 'cookie-hijacking' so it could be you clicked some link, and everything after that point was hijacked through that method. Session hijacking can also be account-based, which means it could mean whatever account you were logged into before going to the torrent site (Gmail or other universal account) could be being hacked, and thus, you being logged into it is leaving a log itself and allowing the hijacker to view your search history.
So my question to the OP would be...
-Do you search for the torrent sites before going to them?
-Do you do so while logged in to a Gmail account and do you use Google for your internet searches?
-Do you use ''Incognito'' or other Private browsing interfaces?
Lastly, is your system protected by both internal and external firewalls?
Do you connect using a router? Is it your router? Is it Wi-Fi?
Do you scan your system regularly?
Use Proxies?
Ironically a lot of the same methods we use to gain security can be vulnerabilities, routers can be set up as 'rogue access points' to trap people's information when they connect, so these will be unsecure access points, meaning, no password required to connect. Proxies can be modified or hijacked, and most don't actually delete their logs, even if the owners say they do, which becomes a vulnerability issue for those using them - particularly the obscure proxies in which users have no idea where they actually come from, or who is operating the rotations if they happen to be 'rotating proxies'.
If you are downloading torrents or other sketchy, possibly illegal wares, I would both connect using a VPN, and download the files onto an EXTERNAL MEMORY source, and execute the files from a fairly impervious or neutral device to the extension - meaning a foreign device capable of reading the media file but incapable of running any additional code that has been either rooted in it or added to it. So something innocuous like a game system or MP3/MP4 player or even an iPhone as opposed to your Personal Computer.
Additionally, since browsing history is not stored just locally on your device, but in the browser software itself (Chrome, Firefox etc), it's possible it's the result of 'cookie-hijacking' so it could be you clicked some link, and everything after that point was hijacked through that method. Session hijacking can also be account-based, which means it could mean whatever account you were logged into before going to the torrent site (Gmail or other universal account) could be being hacked, and thus, you being logged into it is leaving a log itself and allowing the hijacker to view your search history.
So my question to the OP would be...
-Do you search for the torrent sites before going to them?
-Do you do so while logged in to a Gmail account and do you use Google for your internet searches?
-Do you use ''Incognito'' or other Private browsing interfaces?
Lastly, is your system protected by both internal and external firewalls?
Do you connect using a router? Is it your router? Is it Wi-Fi?
Do you scan your system regularly?
Use Proxies?
Ironically a lot of the same methods we use to gain security can be vulnerabilities, routers can be set up as 'rogue access points' to trap people's information when they connect, so these will be unsecure access points, meaning, no password required to connect. Proxies can be modified or hijacked, and most don't actually delete their logs, even if the owners say they do, which becomes a vulnerability issue for those using them - particularly the obscure proxies in which users have no idea where they actually come from, or who is operating the rotations if they happen to be 'rotating proxies'.
If you are downloading torrents or other sketchy, possibly illegal wares, I would both connect using a VPN, and download the files onto an EXTERNAL MEMORY source, and execute the files from a fairly impervious or neutral device to the extension - meaning a foreign device capable of reading the media file but incapable of running any additional code that has been either rooted in it or added to it. So something innocuous like a game system or MP3/MP4 player or even an iPhone as opposed to your Personal Computer.
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