Home : blog : Are Network Worms And Viruses The Same

Are network worms and viruses the same

Experiencing data theft or network problems is not something uncommon these days. Every year, numerous people are found searching for measures to retrieve their lost data from hackers and cybercriminals. If you are also among them, you need to know that a worm virus is often found to be the most common cause of problems in personal computers. Yet, it seldom causes any significant damage to the system. To keep your PC safe from worms or virus threat, it is recommended for you to get some basic understanding of these malware and use the best antivirus protection.

Are network worms and viruses the same

What is a worm virus
A worm is a unique type of virus that can duplicate itself, and unlike other viruses, it can spread to multiple systems without the help of any host file. However, other types of viruses depend on a host file for spreading the infection. Yet, like other viruses, worms too can exist in Word or Excel documents. As worms can hide anywhere in the files, it is almost impossible to detect them without using proper antivirus.

What are the signs of worm virus infection?
Even though it is hard to detect worm virus infection without using a secured antivirus, you can determine the problem by following observing some common symptoms. One of them is the sudden appearance of new shortcuts or icons on your computer screen. If you find the shortcut or an icon of a program that you have not installed, it is possibly a worm. Apart from this, a worm infected computer also becomes slow compared to a safe one. While browsing the internet, you might also get to see annoying pop-ups on the browser.

How to avoid the spread of a worm virus?
A worm virus may possess mild to severe threats. Even if the virus does not pose any serious threat, it is better to keep computers safe by following some simple tips to avoid the spread.
● You should never download any file from unknown or unreliable sources
● Avoid opening emails and attachments from an unknown sender
● Use an antivirus software on your computer to scan every attachment before opening it
● Keep the antivirus software updated and get your system scanned regularly
● Turn on the firewall of your system to restrict any kind of threat
● Use a strong password and alter it at regular intervals to keep personal communications and files secured

When talking about worm virus infection, you may like to know that most of the virus is spread by the files that come as an email attachment. It can spread through the links coming from file transfer or web resources. Although there is less risk of spreading the virus from peer-to-peer file sharing, you cannot ignore it completely. Last but not the least, worms can also infect as network packets, which activates it code after directly penetrate the memory of a computer.

How to prevent a worm virus infection?
Computer worms have the ability to exploit any errors in your configuration network and enter through the loopholes of your operating system. Computers with faulty application security might also be affected by worms. While some worms use one method to copy themselves, others may use multiple methods and spread rapidly. If you want to keep your device and system safe from worms or any other type of virus, it is important for you to know antivirus program that offers complete security against malware.

Nowadays, there is no dearth of choices in terms of computer antivirus, and you can pick any of them on the basis of their performance or reviews. When looking for any antivirus software for your computing devices, viz. desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone, you can opt for Kaspersky. Norton antivirus or Bitdefender can also be a worthy choice. If you want to get free antivirus protection, you can also consider AVG.

Disclaimer:
The content provided on our blog site traverses numerous categories, offering readers valuable and practical information. Readers can use the editorial team’s research and data to gain more insights into their topics of interest. However, they are requested not to treat the articles as conclusive. The website team cannot be held responsible for differences in data or inaccuracies found across other platforms. Please also note that the site might also miss out on various schemes and offers available that the readers may find more beneficial than the ones we cover.