Ace the CompTIA CySA+ Challenge 2025 – Unleash Your Cyber Skills Today!

The correct choice is a type of malware specifically designed to replicate itself and spread to other systems. A worm, unlike other types of malware, operates independently and can propagate across networks without human intervention. It exploits vulnerabilities in operating systems or applications to transfer itself from one computer to another. This ability to self-replicate and propagate makes worms particularly dangerous as they can rapidly infect large numbers of systems, overwhelming networks and causing significant damage.

In contrast, a Trojan refers to a type of malware that disguises itself as a legitimate application, tricking users into executing it, but does not have the capability to replicate itself. Spyware is designed to gather information about a user or organization without their knowledge, primarily focusing on data collection rather than replication. Viruses are also harmful programs but require human action, such as opening a file or running a program, to spread; they attach themselves to executable files and rely on users to propagate. This distinction is crucial in understanding the unique characteristics of worms as a form of malware designed explicitly for self-replication and widespread dissemination.