Certified Internet Web (CIW) Professional Practice Exam

What distinguishes a computer virus from a worm?

1. A worm can replicate by itself, whereas a virus requires user action to replicate.

2. A virus can replicate by itself, whereas a worm requires user action to replicate.

3. A worm can deposit an illicit server, whereas a virus cannot.

4. A virus can deposit an illicit server, whereas a worm cannot.

The correct answer is: A worm can replicate by itself, whereas a virus requires user action to replicate.

A computer virus and a worm are both types of malware, but their methods of replication and how they propagate through systems sharply distinguish them from one another. The statement that differentiates them accurately conveys that a worm can replicate itself independently without the need for user interaction. It can spread through networks and infected systems automatically, exploiting vulnerabilities in network security or other software flaws. This characteristic makes worms particularly dangerous as they can cause widespread damage rapidly, often without any action needed from the user. In contrast, a virus requires some form of user action to initiate its replication process. Typically, a user must run an infected program or open a malicious file for the virus to spread to other files or systems. This reliance on user initiation is what sets viruses apart from worms. The other options involve misunderstandings about the propagation mechanisms of these types of malware. A virus does not inherently have the capability to self-replicate without user action, and while both worms and viruses can deposit illicit servers, this trait is not essential to their definitions or functions. Thus, the correct choice highlights the fundamental difference in how each type of malware spreads.