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What are Worms?
Worms and viruses share some notable similarities. Both are maliciously-designed computer programs that seek to self-replicate on your computer and cause damage. Worms, however, do not require a host to spread.
Worms use networks to send copies of themselves to other computers in the network. They don't need to attach to a host program or file to spread, and so they don't depend on human interaction to be activated on an individual computer. Viruses typically aim to damage or destroy files on your computer while worms tend to focus more on spreading to as many computers as possible.
Concerns For Parents
- Worms aren't a safety threat for your child--they generally aren't going to expose your kids to inappropriate content or cause problems along that vein. However, worms can slow your computer down tremendously, cause it to behave erratically, or make it crash altogether.
How Can I Keep My Computer Safe?
- Most worms can be stopped by a combination of a firewall and a good antivirus/antispyware package. Be sure to keep any security software you install up-to-date by renewing subscriptions on time and by clicking "OK" when your computer prompts you to run routine security updates on your computer.
We've compiled a table of basic information about some of the best Internet security packages here. Downloads like these are the best and most effective way to keep your computer safe from malware.
Where Can I Learn More?
Click here to read about Microsoft's Malicious Software Removal Tool.
