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What is a Worm?
A worm is a virus that moves around on computer networks.
Each time it moves, it changes it's name and location.
This burrowing action is where it got its name.
Worms are typically introduced to networks via Trojans or Virus's. Once an infected email is downloaded (or executed via a program), a virus turns into a worm and spreads across a computer network, changing its name and it's hiding place with each move. A classic example is the Code Red worm which replicated itself over 250,000 times in approximately nine hours on July 19, 2001.
A worm usually exploits some sort of security hole in a piece of software or in the operating system of a network and can become firmly implanted long before the Network Administrators even have a hint that it's there.
Once it's infected all the computers on a network, worms then mutate back into a virus and spread via email (hopefully moving on to another network).
So, worst case scenario... a user downloads a virus infected email. The virus mutates into a worm and quickly spreads across a company network changing it's name and location with each move. Once it's infected all the computers on that network, it mutates back into a virus, attacks every address book it can find and leaves the network via email. It then goes to work doing what ever it was designed to do to the network.
One single worm from one single network can infect thousands of other computes in a matter of hours.
The Team