What is the primary difference between a virus and a worm?

The primary difference between a virus and a worm lies in their methods of propagation and self-replication. A worm is capable of self-replication, meaning it can independently spread itself across networks without requiring any interaction from a user. This allows worms to propagate quickly, often exploiting vulnerabilities or weaknesses in network protocols or systems.

In contrast, while a virus also replicates, it generally attaches itself to a host file or program and relies on human actions, such as opening a file or executing a program, to spread from one system to another. The distinction here emphasizes that worms function autonomously and can navigate systems and networks without needing a human to activate them, which is a key characteristic of their behavior.

This autonomous nature of worms contributes to their potential for rapid and widespread infection compared to viruses, which depend on user activity for their dissemination. Understanding this difference is crucial in the context of cybersecurity, as it influences how both threats are managed and mitigated.