What is a Bot Worm?
The term "bot" refers to a software agent that interacts with other software or online services just like a person would. It derives from the word "robot" to indicate that this kind of program acts independently, but always for the benefit of its creator. A computer "worm" is much like a virus, in that it consists of malicious code designed to attack your computer. Unlike a virus, a worm does not infect other files: it can replicate and transmit itself to new victims.
The combination of these two threats results in a kind of Frankenstein's monster: malicious software that can copy itself and attack computers in sophisticated ways, seemingly with a will of its own.
Even worse, malicious software authors can quickly assemble bot worms in a modular fashion, combining packages of pre-written software code designed for specific kinds of attacks. Even a novice hacker can now easily exploit operating system vulnerabilities, send out mass-mailings, or spread their bot worm by P2P (peer-to-peer) propagation. As new attack modules become available on the Internet, hackers can add them to their existing code, resulting in ever more twists and variations.
With bot worms now so easy to build, you can't just rely on automatic updates to keep your computer safe. You must make sure to install the latest security patches and protection updates as soon as the Microsoft and Trend Micro Web sites make them available.
