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220-1102 Practice Question: A small business owner reports that all their…
A small business owner reports that all their employees are receiving emails from each other containing a link that, when clicked, downloads a file that installs a program that spreads to other contacts. The emails appear to come from known senders. What type of malware is this?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the distinction between a virus and a worm by emphasizing that a worm self-propagates without user intervention beyond initial activation, whereas a virus requires host file attachment and user execution of that file.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Worm
(Worm) because the malware self-replicates by sending copies of itself via email to all contacts without requiring user action beyond clicking the link. Unlike a virus, it does not need to attach to a host file; it spreads autonomously over the network using the email system as a transport mechanism.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Virus
Why it's wrong here
A computer virus is a type of malicious software that attaches itself to legitimate programs or documents, requiring user interaction, such as opening an infected file, to execute and spread. Unlike a worm, a virus cannot self-replicate and propagate across networks or email systems without a host program being actively run by a user. Its primary method of spreading is through infected files being shared, not automatic email distribution.
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Worm
Why this is correct
A worm is a standalone malicious program that replicates itself to spread to other computers, often exploiting network vulnerabilities or sending copies via email attachments. Unlike viruses, worms do not need to attach to an existing program and can operate independently. They are designed to self-propagate across networks, consuming bandwidth and system resources, making them a highly effective method for widespread infection without direct user intervention beyond the initial compromise.
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Trojan horse
Why it's wrong here
A Trojan horse is a type of malware that masquerades as legitimate software to trick users into installing it, performing malicious actions once executed. It relies entirely on social engineering to deceive users into manually installing it. Crucially, a Trojan horse does not possess the ability to self-replicate or spread autonomously to other systems; its propagation is not through automatic email distribution or network exploitation.
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Rootkit
Why it's wrong here
A rootkit is a collection of software tools designed to enable continued privileged access to a computer while actively hiding its presence from administrators and security software. It modifies operating system components to conceal its files, processes, and network connections. While extremely stealthy and powerful for maintaining persistence, a rootkit's primary function is not self-replication or spreading to other machines via email; it typically requires another infection vector to initially compromise the system.
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File Systems: NTFS, FAT32, exFAT
Key term
Virus
A virus is a malicious software program that attaches itself to legitimate files or programs and spreads to other systems, often causing damage or stealing information.
Key term
Worm
A worm is a type of malicious software that can copy itself and spread to other computers over a network, often without any human action.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1202 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1202 exam.