What it is
A wabbit, sometimes called a rabbit, is self-replicating malware that rapidly creates copies or processes on one system until it consumes storage, memory, processor time, or process limits. Unlike a classic network worm, a wabbit is defined by uncontrolled local replication and does not need to spread to other computers.
How it works
A simple wabbit may repeatedly copy its executable, fork new processes, or generate files in a loop. Resource exhaustion makes the computer slow or unresponsive and can prevent normal applications from starting. Similar symptoms can also come from a software bug or deliberate stress test, so the initiating program and intent must be identified.
Key points
Wabbit is a behavioral category and an older informal term, not one specific malware family.
Deleting copies while the original process is running may not stop new copies from appearing.
Rapid disk growth or process creation can disrupt a system even without data theft or network propagation.
What to do
Disconnect the affected system if the source is unknown and stop the parent process from a trusted recovery environment.
Preserve a sample and process tree before deleting generated copies.
Run a full scan and check startup locations to prevent the replicator from returning.
Restore damaged data or system files from a clean backup if resource exhaustion caused corruption.