Worms

 WORMS

Worms are a type of stand-alone virus that can self-replicate. Their intention is

to spread to other computers and corrupt whole networks; unlike viruses, they do

not need an active host program to be opened in order to do any damage – they

remain inside applications, which allows them to move throughout networks.

In fact, worms replicate without targeting and infecting specific files on a computer; they rely on security failures within networks to permit them to spread unhindered.

Worms frequently arrive as message attachments and only one user opening a worm-infested email could end up infecting the whole network. 

As with viruses, the same safeguards should be employed, together with the running of an up-to date anti-virus program. 

Worms tend to be problematic because of their ability to spread throughout a network without any action from an end-user; 

whereas viruses require each end-user to somehow initiate the virus.

Examples include the ‘I love you’ worm, which attacked nearly every email user

in the world, overloaded phone systems and even brought down television

networks. All of this makes them more dangerous than viruses.