New system controls computer worms

U.S. scientists have created anti-worm computer technology that can identify and contain "worms" milliseconds after a cyberattack begins.

A worm is a type of computer virus that doesn't alter files but resides in active memory and can duplicate itself. Worms are not usually noticed until their uncontrolled replication begins to interfere with a computer's operation.

Penn State University scientists said current technologies focus mostly on signature or pattern identification. And that means they cannot respond to attacks fast enough, allowing worms to exploit network vulnerabilities.

The new technology instead targets a packet's rate or frequency of connections and the diversity of connections to other networks, allowing it to react far more quickly than other technologies.