Viruses and worms are malicious programs that self-replicate on computers or via computer networks without the user being aware; each subsequent copy of such malicious programs is also able to self-replicate.

Malicious programs which spread via networks or infect remote machines when commanded to do so by the “owner” (e.g. Backdoors) or programs that create multiple copies that are unable to self-replicate are not part of the Viruses and Worms subclass.

The main characteristic used to determine whether or not a program is classified as a separate behaviour within the Viruses and Worms subclass is how the program propagates (i.e. how the malicious program spreads copies of itself via local or network resources.)

Most known worms are spread as files sent as email attachments, via a link to a web or FTP resource, via a link sent in an ICQ or IRC message, via P2P file sharing networks etc.

Some worms spread as network packets; these directly penetrate the computer memory, and the worm code is then activated.

Worms use the following techniques to penetrate remote computers and launch copies of themselves: social engineering (for example, an email message suggesting the user opens an attached file), exploiting network configuration errors (such as copying to a fully accessible disk), and exploiting loopholes in operating system and application security.

Viruses can be divided in accordance with the method used to infect a computer:

  • file viruses
  • boot sector viruses
  • macro viruses
  • script viruses

Any program within this subclass can have additional Trojan functions.

It should also be noted that many worms use more than one method in order to spread copies via networks. The rules for classifying detected objects with multiple functions should be used to classify these types of worms.

This subclass of malicious programs includes the following behaviours:

 

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