Re: What is the difference between a worm and a trojan ?

From: FromTheRafters (!0000_at_nomad.fake)
Date: 05/20/04 

Date: Wed, 19 May 2004 21:31:38 -0400

<Ben M. Schorr>; "MVP-OneNote" <bens@bogusaddress.mvp> wrote in message news:4905df3b05484681b62000eeb2fef9d8@ghytred.com...
> On 18 May 2004 13:31, Peter Meister wrote:
> >Ok, I know the difference between a virus and a trojan. But what is
> >the difference between a worm and a trojan? Is the one a subset of the
> >other type or are they completele different ?
> >
> >Peter
>
> A worm is a self-replicating piece of code that doesn't require the user
> to take action in order to activate it.

Many worms require human interaction in order to function, in fact
most of the more common ones do. The most pure forms of worm
do infact do as you say, however it is not a defining factor.

> It infects a machine, then goes looking for other machines to infect,

Some definitions do indeed say this, but it is an inadequate definition
because some worms don't do *this* either.

> all the while unattended and most likely unnoticed by the user.

Superfluous, but not incorrect.

> Worms are typically self-contained; i.e. they don't infect other files.

Usually referred to as "does not *need* to infect programs", as opposed
to viruses which *do* need to infect programs.

(files are not the only things that can be considered programs)

> A trojan is a program that appears to be something it's not;

...or is something else in addition to what it appears to be.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: What is the difference between a worm and a trojan ?
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  • Re: What is the difference between a worm and a trojan ?
    ... pmeister2@lycos.com (Peter Meister) wrote: ... I know the difference between a virus and a trojan. ... best described as a "worm". ...
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  • Re: What is the difference between a worm and a trojan ?
    ... >> trojan, and a worm, and in some cases also a virus. ... Generally, trojans don't replicate. ... Many have also indicated that all worms are viruses. ...
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  • Re: [Full-disclosure] First WMF mass mailer ItW (phishing Trojan)
    ... The definition of a worm and the definition of a trojan horse are not the same in any way, shape, or form. ... What this problem comes down to is that people deal with worms differently than they deal with trojan horses and they deal with both of them differently than they deal with viruses. ... The only real argument I've ever heard has been in regard to calling all malware viruses, being that the media refers to all malware as viruses... ... Consider the possibility of a mass-mailer worm versus a mass-mailer trojan: ...
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