How to Prevent Computer Worms – Tutorial

would you like to know how Preventing Computer Worms on your PC? Computer viruses and worms are malicious programs that can replicate themselves on computers or computer networks.

 At the same time, you may be unaware of the infection on your PC. Since each subsequent copy of a computer virus or worm is also capable of self-replication, the infection spreads very quickly.

There are many different types of computer viruses and computer worms, most of which are highly destructive. We invite you to stay and learn how to prevent computer worms.

What are computer viruses and worms?

Before I know how Preventing Computer Worms on your PC, you should know what the subclasses of viruses and worms are. These include the following:

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• Email Worm.
• IM Worm.
• IRC Worm.
• Network worm.
• P2P Worm.

Each of these malicious programs has a specific source of attack and its own style of multiplication within the operating system structure. You must know how to recognize each one in order to prevent computer worms.

How computer worms work

Most known computer worms spread in the following ways:

• as a file sent as an attachment to an email.
• as an Internet link or FTP resource.
• as a link transmitted via ICQ or IR message.
• through peer-to-peer P2P data exchange networks.
• Other worms penetrate the system structure through network packets. The way this type of computer worm attacks is by attacking the computer's logical memory. This is where the malicious virus algorithm is activated.
• Another means of attack used by worms is by taking advantage of common network configuration errors and flaws in the PC. For example, they replicate themselves and copy themselves en masse to the local disk that is accessible or that has vulnerabilities in the operating system and applications. Many worms spread copies of themselves across the network in various ways.

The Viruses

Viruses can be classified according to the way they infect a computer:

• File virus
• Sector virus Boot
• macro virus
• Sequences of commands virus

Any program of this subclass of malware It may have the functions of a Trojan program as additional features.

How to protect and prevent computer worms

We recommend installing an antivirus: The most important thing is to have antimalware software on all your devices (including PCs, portable, Mac and smartphones).

An anti-malware solution should be updated regularly to protect you against the latest threats. A good antivirus (such as Kaspersky Avast, Nod32, etc) detects and prevents viruses and worms from infecting PCs, and Kaspersky Internet Security for Windows XNUMX can help you protect your PC from malware. Android is an excellent choice for protecting Android smartphones. Kaspersky Lab has created products for the following devices:

• PC with Windows.
• Mac computers.
• Smart phones.

Viruses, network worms: what are the differences?

The main difference between a virus and a worm is that worms can reproduce (copy) themselvesThey are independent of computer files or boot sectors.

Worms are delivered using email addresses from the victim's contact list or by exploiting vulnerabilities in various applications.

Due to the wide availability of the Internet, worms are often spread rapidly throughout the world in a matter of hours or even minutes after their appearance. It is this ability that makes them more dangerous than other types of cyber threats.

notable examples

The Morris network worm is known as the first computer worm that spread across the Internet and infected thousands of computers. It was written in 1988 by Robert Tappan Morris, a 23-year-old physician at Cornell University.

At that time, around 60 thousand machines were connected to the Internet, Of which around 6 thousand were infected with a network worm. After the release of the malicious code in November 1988, a significant part of the Internet was paralyzed. This was the impetus for the creation of the first Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT).

The Morris network worm consisted of 99 lines of code and of course had the ability to copy and spread. The Morris code became a dangerous threat due to the lack of a distribution mechanism, infecting thousands of computers at universities, government labs and large companies.

In addition to the damage, the threat found m Foot deficiencies in the old Devices protección, discovering the need to review security procedures.

According to Robert Morris, the code was not supposed to be malicious and spread so quickly. It is believed that Morris was just eager to find out how big the Internet is.. Anyway, when Morris realized that his program was spreading so quickly, he asked a friend to send an email to the victims to apologize for creating a threat and give instructions on how to remove it. However, given the chaos the malware caused, the message went unnoticed.

Preventing computer worms: how to identify and remove them?

A computer worm is one of the malicious programs that can destroy thousands of computers. Capable of self-replication, it multiplies itself to carry out harmful operations.

A computer worm: What is it?

A computer worm is a malicious program or software that uses a computer network such as the Internet to spread to as many computers as possible. It is distinguished from a virus by its ability to self-replicate indefinitely without the need for a host program or human intervention. Once present on a machine, this malware can have several malicious actions:

• spy on your activity.
• open a back door (computer port) to cyber criminals.
• delete or modify your data.
• launch a denial of service (DDoS) attack by overwhelming a server with requests.

How does a computer worm spread?

Since each of its replicas has the ability to multiply, the computer worm spreads exponentially in computer systems. Some worms can modify their code themselves. This type of malware can be transmitted in different ways:

• Email Worm- An email containing a link to a list of contacts is sent. When you click on the link, you are taken to a web page where the computer worm is located. This then infects your machine.
• P2P WormThis network worm spreads via peer-to-peer file sharing platforms. It sometimes takes the name of software to better deceive users.
• Instant messaging worm: Similar to the email worm, this type of worm spreads through messages on platforms such as Messenger or Skype. When you click on the link in the message, the worm infects your system.
• IRC WormThis type of worm spreads through IRC (Internet Relay Chat) or discussions transmitted over the Internet such as IRCnet.

Computer worms can also be present on removable media such as USB drives. USB pirates, CD or DVD.

Tips to prevent computer worms: how to avoid them?

• Regularly update your software and operating system to benefit from the latest security measures.
• Don't click on links in emails or instant messages from unknown senders. If you receive a strange message from someone you know, it may be a sign that your computer is infected.
• Don't click on pop-ups that promise you a reward when you visit a website. These windows are often vectors for computer worms and other malware.
• Avoid downloading software from unofficial sources or unsafe sites.
• Protect your computer with a firewall and antivirus software that knows how to remove a computer worm from a system. Scan attachments and files before executing them.

How to know if your computer is infected with a computer worm?

Here are some signs that may indicate the presence of infection. You should be on the lookout for Preventing Computer Worms on your PC:

• Your computer system is very slow.
• The network is saturated and slowed down.
• The software or operating system crashes unexpectedly.
• Data is missing or corrupted.

To make sure your computer is infected with a computer worm, run a system scan with up-to-date antivirus software.

How to remove a computer worm?

The only effective way to remove a computer worm is to use anti-virus software, such as Kaspersky Total SecurityAfter scanning your system, the program will warn you if a computer worm is actually present. The antivirus will either remove the threat or quarantine it.

You can also try to start over on a good foundation by reinstalling Windows or macOS on your machine. This will require you to reinstall forma tear your hard drive and erase all your data, as well as any worms, viruses, or other computer malware on it. Beforehand, make sure your personal data is backed up. To prevent computer worms on your PC, do the following:

For Windows:

• Step 1:: On your Windows PC, you need to go to the menu Start > Settings > Security Update > Recovery.
• Step 2:: Then, in Resetting this PC, you need to click on Contac us and select remove all.

For Mac:

• Step 1:: If you have a Mac, restart your computer.
• Step 2:: then press Option + Command + R (install from the Internet) or Command + R (install from recovery disc).
• Step 3:: Then, select Reinstall macOS.

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As you can see, Preventing Computer Worms on your PC is very important if you do not want to lose your data, as this type of malware is very violent and you can even be a victim of information theft. We hope we have helped you gain a little knowledge.