Exam-style question
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Explain the differences between a worm, a trojan and a virus. Then discuss how improved code quality, monitoring and protection can reduce the risks they create.
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- A worm is malicious software that can spread through a network without needing to be attached to another program.
- A trojan is malicious software disguised as, or presented as, something legitimate so that a user runs it.
- A virus is malicious code that attaches to another program or file and is activated when the infected program or file is used.
- These threats exploit vulnerabilities such as weaknesses in program code, unsafe behaviour or inadequate protection.
Explanation
Why this works
A strong answer distinguishes the methods used by the three types of malware and links each mitigation to the vulnerabilities being addressed. Code quality reduces weaknesses, monitoring helps identify attacks, and protection helps prevent or limit their effects.
Common mistake
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