Malware that works to create a lot of network traffic is referred to as a(n) __________.

• A. Macro virus
• B. worm
• C. adware
• D. phishing

Answer: (B)

Malware that creates a lot of network traffic is described by its spreading behavior. A worm is a self-replicating program that moves across networks to infect new systems without user action, and in doing so it often generates heavy network activity as it scans and copies itself to other hosts. That pattern of propagating through the network and causing traffic spikes is what makes a worm the best fit. Macros in documents require user action to run and aren’t defined by flooding traffic; adware mainly serves ads and may use bandwidth for that purpose but not as its primary characteristic; phishing is a social engineering tactic aimed at stealing information, not a malware type focused on traffic generation.