Computer worms

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Computer worms

A computer worm is a self-replicating program that does not need to be part of another program or require any action by a user to propagate it.

A virus, by contrast, embeds itself in other executable programs while a worm is self-contained.

As well as replicating themselves, a worm can do a number of damaging things. The action is known as the worm's 'payload'.

	The payload has all the nasty habits of viruses such as deleting files.
	They can send documents using the infected computer sometimes. propagating themselves in the process.
	A popular payload is to install a trapdoor in the infected computer which can be used to send spam, cloaking the originators identity because they are using another sender’s address.
	A worm can wreak havoc on a network just by its reproduction - Mydoom slowed the Internet as it spread.

	It is alleged that cyber-crooks write and propagate worms and then to sell lists of infected computers to be abused by spammers.
	The subtlety of worm software makes them hard to block. Recently, one successful worm installed a trapdoor. Then the worm told the computer to download the main body of the worm.

The word 'worm' is attributed to a 1970s sci-fi novel by John Brunner, The Shockwave Rider, about a self-propagating program.

For an excellent article entitled A Taxonomy of Computer Worms