WHAT IS COMPUTER WORM & HOW IT AFFECTS US?

The fundamental difference between a worm and a virus is the way in which it spreads copies of itself to non-infected machines. For a definition of a computer worm, think of worms as self-sufficient malware capable of running and proliferating without user interaction. You don't even have to be using your computer for the worm to activate, replicate, and spread. Once the worm has reached your computer, it can begin to spread immediately. To stop it use an antivirus software and we will also discuss few points in this blog ahead.

What Is A Computer Worm?

Worms are actually a subclass of viruses, so they share characteristics. They are programs that make copies of themselves, hosting them in different locations on the computer.

The objective of this malware is usually to collapse computers and computer networks, thus preventing users from working. Unlike viruses, worms do not infect files.

What Do Computer Worms Do?

The main objective of worms is to spread and affect as many devices as possible. To do this, they create copies of themselves on the affected computer, which they later distribute through different means, such as email or P2P programs, among others.

Worms often use social engineering techniques to be more effective. To do this, malware writers select an attractive theme or name to disguise the malicious file. The most recurring topics are those related to sex, celebrities, current affairs or pirated software.

We replicate computer viruses by sending infected attachments via emails, instant messages, etc., to other users. Like us, they unknowingly download and open the attached file.

How Do Computer Worms Work?

Computer worms are dangerous because of their capacity. As soon as a worm takes hold on a host machine, it can spread across a network without the need for outside help or action. As standalone malware, worms do not need to trick you into activating them, as Trojans do.

Worms exploit hidden vulnerabilities in your computer's operating system (OS). The hackers create worms that can penetrate the target OS and do the dirty work without your knowledge. Later, we'll show you how to find out if your computer has a worm so you can take steps to remove it.

For many years, worms used physical means to enter a network. The hacker put his worm on a floppy disk or other drive and waited for his victim to insert it into the computer. Even today, that tactic is viable: Many acts of espionage and industrial sabotage are carried out using a seemingly innocuous USB flash drive.

However, it is now much more common to find worms that spread through purely electronic means, such as e-mail, instant messaging services, and file-sharing networks.

What Types Of Computer Worms Are There?

We can divide them into several categories according to the way of propagation. Each category uses an attack vector to spread from machine to machine.

1- Email Worm

As you may have already guessed, your infection vector is email. Email worms take over your computer's email client and send emails to any contact on your list. The trick? These messages distribute the worm to your contacts, then to their contacts, and so on, allowing them to spread exponentially.

Some of these emails include attachments that, when downloaded, run, and installed by the worm on the recipient's computer. Others incorporate shortened links in the body of the email to lead readers to malicious websites that automatically download the worm. The most successful email worms use various social engineering techniques to convince their victims to download attachments or click on a link.

2- Messenger Worms

Rather than hijack your computer's email client to perform their misdeeds, instant messaging worms prefer something more spontaneous. They infiltrate a messaging platform, like Skype, Messenger or WhatsApp and then send a message to all your contacts.

The message, written in a similar way to a clickbait (LOL / OMG, you have to see this!), Tries to convince your contacts that you have sent them a link to some fun viral content. But instead, when your friend clicks, they visit an infected website. Meanwhile, the worm passes the message to all members of your friend's contact list, helping it spread more quickly.

3- File Sharing Worms

New streaming platforms appear every day. But even now that streaming has become the most widespread mode of multimedia consumption, many still prefer to get their music, movies, and TV shows through peer-to-peer file-sharing networks. (By the way, if you do, you should use a VPN.)

These file-sharing networks operate in a dubiously legal way (they are almost never regulated), so hackers can easily embed worms in files in high demand. When you download the infected files, the worm copies itself to your computer and continues its work. Be careful the next time you want to get a free movie or music album.

4- Internet Worms or Network Worms

Unlike the types of worms mentioned above, which exploit some form of human behavior to spread, Internet worms do not interact with their victims. Hackers use Internet or network worms to exploit vulnerabilities in an operating system. Other worms can exploit other services or security flaws, such as weak passwords.

From its position on an infected computer, the network worm searches the Internet or a local area network (LAN) for more computers with the same vulnerability and spreads to those machines.

Since many Internet worms take advantage of software vulnerabilities, you can stay one step ahead of them by updating your OS, programs, and applications to the latest versions as soon as they become available.

How To Protect Yourself From Computer Worms?

To protect ourselves from this type of malware, there are a series of tips that will help you make your device much safer against worms:

Avoid opening unknown messages and attachments.

Don't use unsafe web pages.

Update your operating systems.

And don't forget to use a good antivirus protection

The easiest and most effective action you can take to protect yourself from worms is to obtain a total virus protection plan with good antivirus software that will scan your device time to time and keep you safe from the worm viruses.