Computer Worm Basics
If you have noticed that your computer has started to slow down recently then you might want to know what has caused this slow down. There are many things which can cause computers to become slow. One of the most common is computer viruses and worms. All computer users should learn how they can diagnose various problems which could affect their computer.
When you are able to identify the potential causes of these problems, you are one step closer to resolving the problem yourself.
Difference Between Worms And Viruses
When most people talk about viruses they are actually talking about all types of malware including Trojans, spyware, and worms.
A worm is very similar to a normal computer virus; however, there are some differences which you need to be aware of. Worms spread differently and will affect your computer differently than other viruses.
Self-Replication
One of the biggest differences is that a worm is able to replicate itself. This means that it can create copies of itself and then send itself to other people. All worms are designed to cause harm to your computer and spread as quickly as possible. These worms can easily spread throughout the network or internet.
Viruses can also replicate themselves but they can not attack by themselves. They need to be spread by attaching themselves to other applications or files which are then shared with other people. A worm, on the other hand, is completely standalone.
Network Damage
Worms are able to spread unhindered through a complete network of computers. They can spread by themselves and this means that they can infect hundreds of computers very easily. Worms are normally able to spread because of security flaws.
In contrast, a virus will only be able to infect your computer if you run an infected file. This will cause the file to infect other files stored on your hard drive. To stop viruses you need to be very careful about running applications or opening attachments from people you don't know.
Knowing more about worms and viruses will help you to protect yourself from the problems. However, you must also use security software including firewall and antivirus scanners.
If you think that your computer might be infected with a virus or worm then you need to remove it as quickly as possible. Of course, a worm isn't the only cause of computer problems and you might need to look for other causes if your computer is still slow.
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