Explain that worms are viruses that replicate themselves like bunnies until all available resources have been exhausted.

Relate to the speed that worms can spread by applying the examples of the Nimda outbreak in 2001 and the Klez worm that infiltrated computers much in the same way.

Examine the consequences of a perpetrator creating and distributing a virus. Use the example of Jeffrey Lee Parson, an 18-year-old high school student who committed such an act.

Compare and contrast the definitions of a worm with a Trojan horse. Note that a Trojan horse on the surface looks legitimate, but once opened, it instills a virus onto the devices it infects. Recommend students review Figure 2-15 for an illustration of this in practice.

Illustrate that a more modern version of a Trojan horse attack is known as aSMiShing, in which the victim is tricked into downloading malware onto a mobile phone via a text message. SMiShing is an abbreviation for SMS phishing.

Evaluate the ever-changing nature of a polymorphic threat and how it changes its size and other characteristics to stay one step ahead of antivirus software programs.

Consequentially, point out that malware hoaxes, or messages sent that warn of dangerous viruses when no credible threat exists, result in significant resources and time wasted. Point out the author’s comment that there are Web sites that can be checked to determine the validity and credibility of a supposed threat.