Defining computer infection terms ???

Virus spyware malware worms spam trojans

I just might resent that "computer geek" remark... if it wasn"t so danged true!!

:-)

I gotta make a living somehow...

HTH
Steve

There are many non-worm viruses that infect specific files, so that shouldn't be part of a "worm" definition. And expand Trojan a bit.

What distinguishes a virus as a "Worm" is worms self-replicate (i.e. dig around your network like an earthworm). Once on your machine, you don't have to do anything for them to spread to other machines.

Viruses rely on the user having to do something to spread them, like sending someone a file you didn't know was infected.

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Trojans make you think they're legitimate programs. "Hey John -- I'm sending you this really cool game!" Of course, you get a really cool game. That also happens to infect your computer with a virus, as Steve said, often with a spyware package today. Gator is one of the classic trojans, it installs some nice but unecessary web features...then starts up a spyware program. Tracks everywhere you go, and then Gator sells it to other companies for marketing purposes.

I don't use the term much, so I thought Steve had it right at first. But his description of it can fit under spyware.

Malware is actually a very broad term that covers all viruses, spyware, and anything else that is...MALicious softWARE -- it's a broad definition for anything that was purposely designed to do bad things.