Dictionary of Computers - worm

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Virus designed to spread from computer to computer across a network. Worms replicate themselves while ‘hiding’ in a computer's memory, causing systems to ‘crash’ or slow down, but do not infect other programs or destroy data directly.

The most celebrated worm was the ‘Internet worm’ of November 1988. Released onto the Internet by Robert Morris, Jr, a graduate student at Cornell University, it infected some 6,000 systems via a loophole in Unix e-mail and finger procedures. Morris claimed that a programming bug had caused the worm to replicate far more virulently than he had intended, and took swift measures to publish an ‘antidote’ on the network – but by then, many machines had already been disconnected from it. Morris was later convicted, fined, and sentenced to 400 hours community service.

In the early years of the 21st century, the Internet was plagued by a number of worms, including Melissa, LoveBug, Slammer, SoBig, Blaster, MyDoom, and Netsky.

The colours of the flag date from Napoleon's invasion in 1796. The design is based on the French tricolour. Effective date: 19 June 1946. >>