...major difference between a virus and a worm ?...

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Answer by Kev
Submitted on 11/20/2003
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A worm is a type of virus that has an important and specific feature; it does not depend upon any form of human intervention to propagate. Since it can replicate and infect by itself, it is by far the most virulent type of virus, and can infect many millions of computers globally in a matter of hours. A standard virus will depend on some form of human intervention to propagate, whether this is opening an email attachment, clicking a malicious link, or transferring an infected disk from one machine to another. To answer the question as to which is more 'harmful' is difficult, since this depends on the specific 'payload' or malicious function of the virus, worm or trojan. But in terms of rate of infection, the worm is by far the most potent.

Answer by Adeyege Ebenezer
Submitted on 12/25/2003
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It must execute itself. It will often place its own code in the path of execution of another program. It must replicate itself. For example, it may replace other executable files with a copy of the virus infected file. Viruses can infect desktop computers and network servers alike. Worms are programs that replicate themselves from system to system without the use of a host file. This is in contrast to viruses, which requires the spreading of an infected host file. Although worms generally exist inside of other files, often Word or Excel documents, there is a difference between how worms and viruses use the host file. Usually the worm will release a document that already has the "worm" macro inside the document. The entire document will travel from computer to computer, so the entire document should be considered the worm.

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Question by demon
Submitted on 8/2/2003
Related FAQ: VIRUS-L/comp.virus Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) v2.00
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what is the major difference between a virus and a worm ? which type of computer infection out of virus,worms,trojan horses and rabbits is more harmful?

Answer by Muthu Srinivasan
Submitted on 9/6/2003
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Virus requires host program. Worm doesn'tneed any host programs. Worm uses network flaws to spread for example: if u have a email with a virus. To activate that virus u have to double click it. But this not the case if its a worm.

Answer by Shanita Wilburn
Submitted on 12/4/2003
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A virus copies itself around the system by gradually attaching the virus code to every common executable program available on the computer. A worm transfers copies of itself across network links.

Answer by Dontrell Latimore
Submitted on 12/4/2003
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A virus is a program that replicates itself on computer systems, usually through executable software, and causes damage. Worm is a subset of a virus in that it makes copies of itself but does so without needing to modify a host.

Answer by figg
Submitted on 2/2/2004
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A virus is almost the same thing as a worm. It is the speed of infecting the computer that varies

Answer by BlueWingedTiger
Submitted on 7/5/2004
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Worms are programs that replicate themselves from system to system without the use of a host file. This is in contrast to viruses, which requires the spreading of an infected host file. Although worms generally exist inside of other files, often Word or Excel documents, there is a difference between how worms and viruses use the host file. Usually the worm will release a document that already has the "worm" macro inside the document. The entire document will travel from computer to computer, so the entire document should be considered the worm. PrettyPark.Worm is a particularly prevalent example.

Answer by dode
Submitted on 9/13/2004
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there is a difference between how worms and viruses use the host file. Usually the worm will release a document that already has the "worm" macro inside the document. The entire document will travel from computer to computer, so the entire document should be considered the worm..

Answer by rahul
Submitted on 4/20/2005
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virus is me and worm is you... ;)

Answer by passdaj
Submitted on 4/20/2005
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i ask him for a cheese sandwich and he said i don't know and i was like oh man what am i gunna do and he said huh.

Answer by gidza
Submitted on 11/10/2005
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virus-a computer program that disrupts other computers through the internet worm-the most dangerous virus that can attack many computers around the world

Answer by madhu
Submitted on 10/8/2006
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virus is a piece of program that attaches itself to the legitimate program , and it also modifies the host program & it need a host. wherease worm is a complete program that attaches itself to the legitimate program,but it does not modifies the host program .

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