What is a Computer Worm?

If nothing else, computer hackers have given the world a barrage of visual imagery to complement the havoc they wreak. Terms such as virus, spyware, Trojans and malware conjure up images of incurable sicknesses, damaging espionage and destructive strategies. While that may sound a tad melodramatic, it’s not necessarily baseless hyperbole. For most us, our computers are extensions of our lives. We use them to pay bills, work, store our pictures and music, and as a source of entertainment. The dreaded realization that your computer has a virus can make you run an emotional gamut from frustration to anger to helplessness.

It’s not all bad news, though. In fact, antivirus software is generally an effective preventative measure that helps make sure you never have to deal with these problems in the first place. There are so many options that having antivirus protection is a must. Whether you’re looking to protect a personal computer or your business computer, or if you can’t afford to buy software and need free security software, there are solutions that will work for your situation. At TopTenREVIEWS, we have a wide variety of information that can help you make a great decision. In fact, we have side-by-side comparisons that make choosing antivirus software easy.

In addition to proper security measures, education about online threats is imperative. While many people are familiar with spyware and viruses, computer worms are a comparatively less understood phenomenon. If you need to know what computer worms are and how they work, this is a good place to start.

Computer Worms: Like viruses, computer worms are usually malicious software that can cause a lot of damage and disruption. The main difference between the two types of malware is that viruses attack certain files on a specific computer or several computers. Computer worms generally attack networks, whether by disruption of bandwidth or through various other means.

Computer worms may pass through a particular system without causing any damage at all, but most computer worms are used to delete files as they pass through networks or just to disrupt network traffic. Some computer worms have also been used in attacks that encrypt files on a computer. The point of these attacks is to use the decryption code as a kind of ransom.

Another use for computer worms is as a backdoor installer. This allows whoever sent the worm to access your computer. Spammers often do this to hide their identities and as a way to send mass emails.

Avoiding computer worms is generally just a matter of having up-to-date internet security protection, and a strong firewall never hurts. As with any other form of malware, computer worms generally have to deceive you into letting them infiltrate your computer. With that in mind, be careful of emails from strangers, especially those with attachments and links to websites. If you receive a suspicious email from a friend, that friend may have been the victim of a worm infection and their computer is helping to spread it without his or her knowledge. If you suspect that to be the case, notify your friend immediately.

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