A computer worm is a type of malware that can self-replicate and spread without human interaction once it has entered a system.
Since the first documented computer worm, the Morris Worm, infected and shut down systems in 1988, the use of worms as malware has continued to grow, even during the current health crisis.
Let’s explore the problems caused by malware and computer worms, and why covered entities (CEs) need strong cybersecurity to safeguard patients’ protected health information (PHI).
The risks of malware
Malware (or malicious software) is a general term for intrusive software that exploits or infects a system. It can come in many forms, including viruses, adware, spyware, ransomware, Trojans, and of course, worms.
Read more information about the computer support specialist and their part in cyber attacks.
Malware is typically relayed to victims through phishing emails, sent en masse, or to targeted individuals through spear phishing. Threat actors sometimes use social engineering to convince someone to download or load software, programs, or apps, thereby executing the malware.
And while phishing remains the most common way that malware infects a system because of what is known as the human factor, it’s not the only method.
The six points of entry are email, the network, the user, web applications, remote access portals, and mobile devices.
Source: www.paubox.com