What is a worm virus?

A computer worm is similar to a computer virus in that it is designed to interfere with a computer’s operation. However, the way a worm virus travels is different from a computer virus – and far more dangerous.

How does a worm virus spread?

Unlike a computer virus, a worm can copy itself automatically and spread without human intervention. It travels via the internet – through e-mail or the World Wide Web – through computer networks, or via a USB stick or other file storage device.

Some worms spread very quickly. They clog networks and can cause long waits for you (and everyone else) to view pages on the internet.

One way a worm will spread is by accessing your e-mail address book and sending copies of itself to every contact. It will then repeat this process from your contacts address book, from the e-mail address book and contacts addresses of all your contacts, and so on.

Computer worms cause great devastation, with very little human intervention, by spreading and replicating over and over again.

What does a worm virus do?

Worms are a type of malware, or malicious software program, that make copies of themselves. In fact, the main purpose of a worm virus is to reproduce itself again and again.

While a worm virus doesn’t normally harm any files on a computer, it can take up a lot of space in a hard drive so slows down your system. A worm will also slow down any network or internet connections.

How do I detect a worm virus?

Worms can travel quickly and infect scores of computers in a very short time. The best way to a stop worm virus is to protect yourself against it in the first place.

Download internet security software or antivirus software from a leading, experienced security software company such as Kaspersky Lab.

Free antivirus software

Don’t be tempted by any old free antivirus software program. Often you may find that it is offered through a scareware provider and is a type of virus in itself!

If you want free antivirus software, you can obtain free antivirus software from Kaspersky for free for 30 days before you buy.