Worm: Definition and additional resources from ZDNet

(1) A destructive program that replicates itself throughout a single computer or across a network, both wired and wireless. It can do damage by sheer reproduction, consuming internal disk and memory resources within a single computer or by exhausting network bandwidth. It can also deposit a Trojan that turns a computer into a zombie for spam and other malicious purposes. Very often, the terms "worm" and "virus" are used synonymously; however, worm implies an automatic method for reproducing itself in other computers. See virus, logic bomb, smartphone virus, Worm.ExploreZip virus and Morris worm.

(2) A program that moves through a network and deposits information at each node for diagnostic purposes or causes idle computers to share some of the processing workload. See ethical worm.

Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia.
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Additional Resources

Storm Worm's Independence Day campaign: A Storm Worm's Independence Day campaign is circulating online using email as propagation vector, attempting to trick users into visiting a Storm Worm infected host, where a multitude of what looks like over five different exploits attempt to automatically infect the visitors next to the malware binary fireworks.exe. Historically, Storm...; Tags: Software, Malware, Worm, Exploit, Storm Worm, Day Vulnerability, Cyberthreats, Spyware, Adware & Malware, Viruses And Worms, Security, Dancho Danchev; Blog posts 2008-07-04
Gmail, Yahoo and Hotmail's CAPTCHA broken by spammers: Breaking Gmail, Yahoo and Hotmail's CAPTCHAs, has been an urban legend for over two years now, with do-it-yourself CAPTCHA breaking services, and proprietary underground tools assisting spammers, phishers and malware authors into registering hundreds of thousands of bogus accounts for spamming and fraudulent purposes. ...; Tags: CAPTCHA, MSN Hotmail, Google Gmail, Yahoo! Inc., Spammer, HIP Character, E-mail Providers, Internet, Dancho Danchev; Blog posts 2008-07-03
Space Copters (exe): Somewhere near Saturn you are in control of a supersonic machine and must defeat all of the enemy helicopters in outer space and reclaim the universe. There are never ending hordes of copters coming at you in this side scrolling exciting and challenging action game. Greater fire power obtainable by...; Tags: Helicopter, JokerCade, Games, Personal Technology; Software downloads 2008-07-03
Multiple Facebook vulnerabilities reported on Full-Disclosure: Jouko Pynnonen posted a message to the Full-Disclosure mailing list today, citing multiple "script injection" vulnerabilities within Facebook. I'm not sure if this is a surprise to anybody out there, it's certainly not to me, as numerous web applications have major problems with Cross-site Scripting vulnerabilities, but I think this...; Tags: Facebook, Vulnerability, XSS, JavaScript, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Web Browser, Sandbox, JS, Canvas Page, Web Browsers, Internet, Nathan McFeters; Blog posts 2008-07-02
Blizzard introducing two-factor authentication for WoW gamers: Password stealing malware targeting popular MMORPGs such as World of Warcraft for instance, has become so prevalent, that video game developers are taking their authentication model a step further, by introducing two-factor authentication into play. And while marketable, is the new authentication layer actually useful in a real life situation?...; Tags: Password, Two-factor Authentication, World Of Warcraft, Malware, Gamer, Spyware, Adware & Malware, Games, Cyberthreats, Security, Personal Technology, Dancho Danchev; Blog posts 2008-07-02

Another Trojan hits Mac OS X: Another Trojan hits Mac OS XThis is good for AppleI would say that malware counts are the [b]best[/b] indication of desktop PC marketshare so congrats Apple, you really must be doing well now that you are being targeted so much! I'll leave you with a sobering thought:It is easy to...; Tags: Spyware, adware & malware, Spyware, Microsoft Windows, Desktops, Operating systems, Viruses and worms, airline industry, trojan horse, Apple Macintosh, Apple Mac OS X, Apple Inc., Apple Mac OS; Discussion threads 2008-06-25
Nokia Symbian deal winners and losers: Nokia Symbian deal winners and losersNokia Symbian - What's in a name?Heads up! It looks like Nokia's product naming consultants did not do their homework for similar names with other mental images and associations. Check out www.sybian.com. Or, how about the Symbionese Liberation Party that kidnapped Patty...; Tags: Linux, Advertising & Promotion, Operating systems, Cellular phones, Nokia Corp., Symbian Inc.; Discussion threads 2008-06-24
MSN Virus Cleaner (exe): Is an easy and a fast way to remove MSN worm and virus`s, just run the App and it well in Just a few seconds automatically delete unwanted applications for your pc, Vista users you may need to have an administrator account to completely remove the MSN Viruses. This version...; Tags: MSN, Cyberthreats, Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Viruses And Worms, Security, Operating Systems, Microsoft Windows, Software; Software downloads 2008-06-23
Worm Elite (cab): You are operate worm which eats red squares. It is impossible to touch walls and the tail. A sports game. Also game develops thinking. There is a list of the best players. The purpose of game to take the biggest score. This version is the first release on CNET Download.com.; Tags: Worm, Games, Cyberthreats, Viruses And Worms, Personal Technology, Security; Software downloads 2008-06-06
Microsoft's grand plan to eliminate phone numbers: Microsoft's grand plan to eliminate phone numbersYeah. Sure.Right after we get the paperless office, flying car & the long-promised 3-day work week.Google has GrandCentral for contacting user's various phone numbersGoogle has GrandCentral something kind of along these lines with making multiple contacts but to the different phone numbers that one...; Tags: Telecom & Utilities, Telephony, TELECOMMUNICATIONS, Microsoft Corp., phone, network; Discussion threads 2008-05-29
State of the Internet: Old worms live on; Delaware speediest state; South Korea a broadband king: Akamai on Thursday released its first State of the Internet report and found attack traffic--viruses, worms, bots and such--derived from 125 countries with 30 percent of that traffic coming from the United States and China. Some of these attacks, which occurred in the first quarter, were from worms like Blaster...; Tags: Internet, Broadband, Worm, Akamai Technologies Inc., Attack, Attack Traffic, Cyberthreats, Security, Viruses And Worms, Larry Dignan; Blog posts 2008-05-29
News to know: Microsoft's social bookmarking; Google vs. Viacom; Adventures in Linux; Facebook: Notable headlines: Mary Jo Foley: Microsoft to showcase social bookmarking at TechEd Larry Dignan: Google: Viacom's YouTube lawsuit threatens DMCA. Full complaint. Techmeme Ed Bott: Why is fear-mongering such a popular security sales tactic? ...; Tags: Google Inc., Facebook, Larry Dignan, Mobile, Social Bookmarking, Malware, Microsoft Corp., Viacom Inc., Cyberthreats, Spyware, Adware & Malware, Linux, Advertising & Promotion, Security, Viruses And Worms, Open Source, Operating Systems, Software, Marketing; Blog posts 2008-05-27
Tracking down the Storm Worm malware: Tracking down the Storm Worm malwareHaving Knowledge Isn't Necessarily Communicating KnowledgeI respect Mr. Danchev's superior techincal knowledge of Web security. But it's very frustrating to read his run-on, wandering, multiple-car-wreck sentences. Absent a good editor at ZD, Mr. Danchev needs a course in business composition or journalism. Both disciplines teach...; Tags: Spyware, adware & malware, Cyberthreats, Storm Worm, malware; Discussion threads 2008-05-26
Tracking down the Storm Worm malware: What is the current state of Storm Worm activity, how many infected IPs are found to host the malware on a daily basis, which are the latest domains used by the Storm Worm, and which countries have the largest infected population? You can easily find that out, if you keep...; Tags: Malware, SQL, SQL Injection, TrustedSource, Spyware, Adware & Malware, Cyberthreats, Security, Programming Languages, Software Development, Software/Web Development, Dancho Danchev; Blog posts 2008-05-26
Puncturing the myth of the invulnerable OS: I keep trying to come up with explanations for why rational technical publications continue to amplify the nonsensical research coming out of Australian security vendor PC Tools in the past few weeks. Jedi mind tricks? Post-hypnotic suggestions embedded in web pages served from the Southern Hemisphere? Sunspots? There's certainly...; Tags: Operating System, PC Tools, Microsoft Windows Vista, Malware, Spyware, Spyware, Adware & Malware, Cyberthreats, Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Viruses And Worms, Security, Operating Systems, Microsoft Windows, Software, Ed Bott; Blog posts 2008-05-20
News to know: Netflix; Google Health; Storm Worm; Fixing Vista: Notable headlines: Dancho Danchev: The Storm Worm would love to infect you Mary Jo Foley: Windows 7: The information lockdown continues Microsoft releases Virtual PC 2007 SP1 Microsoft: Half of Exchange inboxes to be Microsoft-hosted in five years...; Tags: NetFlix Inc., Google Inc., Facebook, Microsoft Windows Vista, Health Care, Microsoft Corp., Worm, Vertical Industries, Microsoft Windows, Benefits, Healthcare, Open Source, Enterprise Software, Software, Operating Systems, Human Resources, Larry Dignan; Blog posts 2008-05-20
The Storm Worm would love to infect you: The Storm Worm would love to infect youUm... It this page a stormworm vector??It certanly looks suspiciousRE: The Storm Worm would love to infect youWhat the heck is that article The Storm Worm would love to infect you talking about? I didn't understand any of it.Will ZDNet please please hire...; Tags: Scanners, Cyberthreats, SECURITY, Viruses and worms, Storm Worm; Discussion threads 2008-05-19
The Storm Worm would love to infect you: The Storm Worm malware is back in the game, with its most recent campaign currently active and trying to entice users into executing iloveyou.exe by spamming them with links to already infected hosts acting as web servers, next to SQL injecting malicious domains into legitimate sites for the campaign to...; Tags: JavaScript, SQL, Worm, SQL Injection, Host, Storm Worm, Storm Worm Malware, Scanners, Cyberthreats, Scripting Languages, Programming Languages, Security, Databases, Viruses And Worms, Hardware, Peripherals, Software/Web Development, Web Development, Software Development, Enterprise Software, Software, Data Management, Dancho Danchev; Blog posts 2008-05-19
Fast-Fluxing SQL injection attacks executed from the Asprox botnet: The botnet masters behind the Asprox botnet have recently started SQL injecting fast-fluxed malicious domains in order to enjoy a decent tactical advantage in an attempt to increase the survivability of the malicious campaign. I first assessed the Asprox botnet in January, and again in April when it started scaling...; Tags: Microsoft .NET, Domain, SQL, SQL Injection, Asprox, Com, Programming Languages, Phishing, Databases, Security, Software Development, Software/Web Development, Spam And Phishing, Enterprise Software, Software, Data Management, Dancho Danchev; Blog posts 2008-05-19
Stonesoft Security in Virtual Environments: As I mentioned in the post, Virtualization and security, quite a number of suppliers focused on security in virtualized environments have come forward to speak with me in the past month. Stonesoft is one of those companies. Mark Boltz, Senior Solutions Architect, and Greg Mead, Solutions Architect, both of Stonesoft,...; Tags: Network, Environment, Stonesoft, StoneGate Management Center, Security, Networking, Dan Kusnetzky; Blog posts 2008-05-16