Which type of malware is designed specifically to replicate itself?

The type of malware that is specifically designed to replicate itself is worms. Worms are a subclass of malware that can spread independently across networks and systems without the need for human intervention. Unlike other forms of malware, such as Trojan horses, spyware, or adware, worms exploit vulnerabilities in software or operating systems to make copies of themselves and distribute these copies to other devices. This self-replication capability allows worms to proliferate rapidly, often leading to significant disruption and damage to network resources.

In contrast, Trojan horses are deceptive software that mislead users about their true intent, usually requiring the user to execute something that appears legitimate. Spyware is designed to gather information about a person or organization without their knowledge, while adware primarily serves to display advertisements on the user’s device. These other types of malware do not inherently possess the ability to self-replicate like worms do.