What distinguishes a worm from a virus in terms of transmission?

• A. A worm requires human interaction to spread
• B. A worm spreads automatically without human interaction
• C. A worm injures systems more severely than a virus
• D. A worm is often installed via adware

Answer: (B)

The key distinction between a worm and a virus lies in how each type of malware spreads. A worm is specifically designed to propagate itself automatically across networks without the need for human intervention. This means that once a worm successfully infiltrates a single computer, it can replicate and send copies of itself to other devices connected to the same network, allowing for rapid and widespread dissemination.

This autonomous behavior allows worms to spread significantly faster than viruses, which typically require some form of human action, such as opening an infected file or running a malicious program, to move from one system to another. Understanding this fundamental difference is essential for recognizing the unique threats posed by worms in network security contexts.