Which type of malware is designed to replicate itself across networks?

Which type of malware is designed to replicate itself across networks?

• A. Virus
• B. Worm
• C. Trojan horse
• D. Spyware

Answer: (B)

Self-replication across networks is a hallmark of worms. A worm is a standalone program that spreads by exploiting network vulnerabilities or using network services to copy itself to other machines, often without any user action. This differs from viruses, which attach to a host file and typically require the user to run something to execute; Trojan horses, which disguise themselves as legitimate software but don’t automatically propagate on their own; and spyware, which is focused on covertly collecting information rather than spreading. So the type described is the worm, because it is designed to replicate itself across networks.

Self-replication across networks is a hallmark of worms. A worm is a standalone program that spreads by exploiting network vulnerabilities or using network services to copy itself to other machines, often without any user action. This differs from viruses, which attach to a host file and typically require the user to run something to execute; Trojan horses, which disguise themselves as legitimate software but don’t automatically propagate on their own; and spyware, which is focused on covertly collecting information rather than spreading. So the type described is the worm, because it is designed to replicate itself across networks.