What makes a worm particularly harmful in a network environment?

A worm is particularly harmful in a network environment because it can replicate and spread automatically. This ability allows worms to propagate quickly without requiring any action from users, such as clicking on a link or opening an attachment. Once a worm infects a single machine, it can exploit vulnerabilities in the network to install itself on other devices and continue its spread.

This autonomous replication and spreading capability can lead to widespread damage in a short amount of time, overwhelming network resources, disrupting services, and compromising data integrity across multiple systems. Unlike some other types of malware, which may need user intervention to initiate their spread, worms can cause significant harm without any human interaction, making their impact potentially much greater in a networked environment.