Question

which of the following is a difference between a computer virus and a worm? a. a virus spreads by attaching itself to emails, whereas a worm spreads as an independent file. b. a virus is a type of malware, whereas a worm is a type of spyware. c. a computer virus is malicious, whereas a worm is not considered disruptive. d. a computer virus is related to pharming, whereas a worm is related to phishing.

Explanation:

• Option a: A computer virus typically attaches to programs or files (including email - attached files). A worm is a standalone program that can spread independently across networks without needing to attach to other files.
• Option b: Both viruses and worms are types of malware. Spyware is a different category of malicious software that is mainly used for spying on user activities (e.g., collecting personal information), so this option is incorrect.
• Option c: Both computer viruses and worms are malicious. Worms can cause significant disruption such as overloading network bandwidth, so this option is wrong.
• Option d: Pharming is a technique to redirect users to a fake website (usually by manipulating DNS settings). Phishing is a method of tricking users into providing sensitive information (e.g., through fake emails). Neither viruses nor worms are directly related to these concepts in the way described, so this option is incorrect.

Answer:

a. A virus spreads by attaching itself to emails, whereas a worm spreads as an independent file.