A computer worm is a type of malware that can spread from one computer to another without human interaction. Unlike a virus, which infects a single file or program, a worm can replicate itself and spread across an entire network. Worms often exploit security vulnerabilities in operating systems or applications to gain access to computers. Once they have infected a computer, worms can perform a variety of malicious activities, such as stealing data, corrupting files, or launching denial-of-service attacks.
Computer worms can be very damaging, and they have been responsible for some of the most high-profile cyberattacks in history. The Morris worm, which was released in 1988, infected over 6,000 computers on the ARPANET, the precursor to the internet. The Code Red worm, which was released in 2001, infected over 250,000 computers worldwide. And the Stuxnet worm, which was discovered in 2010, was used to attack nuclear facilities in Iran.
