CertiPort IT Specialist Practice Test 2025 – Comprehensive All-in-One Study Guide for Exam Success!

A virus requires user action to spread, while a worm replicates itself automatically. This distinction is crucial in understanding how these two types of malware operate.

Viruses attach themselves to legitimate programs or files and rely on users to execute, open, or share these infected items to propagate. For instance, when a user downloads a file containing a virus and runs it, the virus can then execute its code and potentially infect the user's system or spread to others through email attachments or shared drives.

In contrast, worms are designed to exploit vulnerabilities in software or networks to copy themselves and spread without any user intervention. They can automatically send copies of themselves to other systems over a network, making them particularly dangerous for spreading across multiple devices quickly and efficiently.

This fundamental difference in propagation methods highlights the varied threats posed by each type of malware. Understanding whether a malicious program is a virus or a worm is critical for implementing appropriate cybersecurity measures and responses.