What Is a Worm

You hear about them, but what is a worm? To explain it (very) briefly, a worm is a type of malware (malicious + software = malware) that is self-replicating and it doesn’t need human interaction to create copies of itself all over systems, networks and devices. It’s a nasty bit of code that that can steal data or install backdoors to your system for remote access, among other things.

So what do you do to protect yourself?

1. Always keep all software updated

Any time your operating system or programs need an update, do it as quick as possible. These updates generally have “patches” in them that the developers coded to prevent potential attacks.

2. Only download files from extremely trusted sources

Downloads are a known source of malware.

3. Use firewalls

Look up your specific operating system for how to set yours up.

4. Have an antivirus or antimalware setup on your computer.

While there is no foolproof way to ensure you never get a worm, following these simple steps will drastically reduce your chances of getting one.