Computer
Virus versus Computer Worm comparison chart
|
||
Computer Virus
|
Computer Worm
|
|
How
does it infect a computer system?
|
It inserts itself into a file or executable
program.
|
It exploits a weakness in an application or
operating system by replicating itself.
|
How
can it spread?
|
It has to rely on users
transferring infected files/programs to other computer systems.
|
It can use a network to
replicate itself to other computer systems without user intervention.
|
Does
it infect files?
|
Yes, it deletes or modifies files.
Sometimes a virus also changes the location of files.
|
Usually not. Worms usually only monopolize
the CPU and memory.
|
whose
speed is more?
|
virus is slower than
worm.
|
worm is faster than
virus. E.g.The code red worm affected 3 lack PCs in just 14 Hrs.
|
Definition
|
The virus is the program code that attaches
itself to application program and when application program run it runs along
with it.
|
The worm is code that replicate itself in
order to consume resources to bring it down.
|