What term describes a virus that spreads without user intervention?

A worm is a specific type of malware that is designed to replicate itself and spread autonomously across networks and systems without requiring any user action. This characteristic sets worms apart from other types of malware, such as Trojans or ransomware, which typically need some form of user intervention to initiate their action.

For example, a Trojan might disguise itself as a legitimate program to trick users into downloading it, while ransomware typically encrypts a user’s files and demands payment, often requiring the user to execute a program or click a link first. Spyware, on the other hand, is designed to gather information from a user’s device without their knowledge but does not spread like a worm. In contrast, worms actively seek out vulnerabilities in systems to spread independently, making them particularly dangerous in network environments.