Question

With reference to Cyber Crimes worm attack

• A. needs the virus to attach
• B. do not need the virus to attach
• C. needs the host to attach
• D. do not need the host to attach

Hint:

Remember the key difference between a virus and a worm: a virus needs a host program to spread (it's a parasite), while a worm is a standalone program that can spread on its own (it's self-contained).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks to identify a key characteristic of a computer "worm," distinguishing it from other types of malware like viruses.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
- A computer virus is a type of malicious code that, when executed, replicates by inserting copies of itself into other computer programs or data files. A virus requires a "host" program to attach to and needs human action (like running the infected program) to spread.
- A computer worm, on the other hand, is a standalone malware computer program that replicates itself in order to spread to other computers. Unlike a virus, it does not need to attach itself to an existing program. Worms often use a computer network to spread themselves, relying on security vulnerabilities on the target computer to access it. They are self-replicating and can spread without any human intervention.
Therefore, a worm is a standalone piece of software and does not need a host program to attach to.
Step 3: Final Answer:
A worm attack do not need the host to attach.

Answer 2

The question asks about a defining characteristic of a worm attack in the context of cyber crime. Let us examine each option by comparing how a worm actually behaves against how a traditional virus behaves.

1. Needs the virus to attach: A worm is itself a distinct category of malicious software and is not defined by needing a virus to attach to it; the two are separate types of malware with different mechanisms of spreading.
2. Do not need the virus to attach: While it is true that a worm does not require a virus, this option frames the distinguishing feature in terms of a virus rather than in terms of the host program, which is the actual technical distinction drawn between worms and viruses.
3. Needs the host to attach: This describes how a traditional computer virus behaves, since a virus is malicious code that inserts itself into an existing program or file, called the host, and relies on that host being executed to spread. It does not describe a worm.
4. Do not need the host to attach: A worm is a standalone, self-contained program that can replicate and spread across a network entirely on its own, exploiting security vulnerabilities to move from one system to another without needing to attach itself to any existing host program or file, and often without any human action triggering it. This is the defining feature that separates a worm from a virus.

Since the technical distinction between a worm and a virus turns specifically on whether a host program is needed, and a worm needs none, the correct answer is do not need the host to attach.