Glossary

Account harvesting

Collecting email accounts from information in the public domain or by using software to search for email addresses stored locally on a computer - this is one of the foundations for spamming.

ADSL

Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) is a data communications technology that enables faster data transmission over copper telephone lines than a conventional dial-up modem can provide. It does this by utilizing frequencies that are not used by a voice telephone call. A splitter or micro filters allow a single telephone connection to be used for both ADSL service and voice calls at the same time. Because phone lines vary in quality and were not originally engineered with ADSL in mind, it can generally only be used over short distances, typically less than 5 km.

Adware

Software installed on a computer designed to deliver advertisements or other content which encourages you to purchase goods or services.

Antivirus

Software designed to prevent infection from computer viruses.

Bot

A single compromised computer (a robot computer) sometimes called a zombie

Botnet

A network of compromised computers. Also called a zombie network.

Botnet master

The individual or group who control the botnet remotely. Also called a bot-herder

Broadband

Typically defined as a technology enabling data throughput exceeding 256kilobits per second.

Browser

A software application that enables the retrieval and presentation of websites and other World Wide Web resources.

Cookie

A string of text stored by a users Web browser to enable a website to 'remember' a user and their personal settings.

Cyber security

Electronic security, or online security.

Denial-of-Service Attack (DoS)

A DoS attack 'floods' a system with useless data or requests for data, which causes an overload of the system or computer.

Dictionary attack

A technique for defeating a password by searching a large number of possibilities using dictionary words.

Digital certificate

Provides a way for users to verify the identity and authenticity of a website. A digital certificate is issued to a website by a trusted third party certificate authority.

Distributed denial-of-service attack (DDoS)

A denial of service attack from multiple systems at once.

Domain Name System (DNS)

A hierarchical naming system for resources connected to the Internet. The DNS translates domain names to numerical identifiers which are readable to networking equipment, allowing the routing of data from one point on the internet to another.

Encryption

The process of transforming documents and files into a secret code for safe transmission over a public network. The information is then converted or deciphered back into its original format.

Firewall

Hardware or software which monitors information going in and out of your computer.

Flash drive

A small piece of hardware which stores data. Sometimes called jump drives or USB sticks.

Freeware

Freeware is copyrighted computer software which is made available for use free of charge, for an unlimited time.

Hacker

Someone who attempts to gain unauthorized access to a computer system, often for fraudulent purposes.

Hardware

The mechanical parts of a computer system, including the central processing unit, monitor, keyboard, and mouse, as well as other equipment like printers and speakers.

Hoax email

Hoax emails or "phishing" emails (pronounced fishing) are fraudulent email messages used to gain access to personal information for illegal purposes, such as transferring funds or purchasing goods.

Identity theft

Identify theft or fraud occurs when personal details are used by someone else to deceive, to support some type of crime, or even just to play a joke. Identity theft is a form of identity crime (where somebody uses a false identity to commit a crime).

Internet Service Provider (ISP)

An ISP is a company that provides access to the internet.

Keystroke loggers

A hidden program that records and 'logs' each key that's pressed on the compromised systems keyboard. As the legitimate user of the system is typing, the program records personal data (eg: usernames, passwords, credit card and bank account numbers). Keystroke logging is typically included in most Trojan programs.

Malicious software (malware)

Malware is a catch all term used to describe all software inserted into a computer system for the purpose of causing harm. This would include viruses, spyware, trojans, worms etc. ,

Modem

A modem is a device that is used to connect your computer to the internet.

Padlock

When using the internet, a browser padlock is a graphical representation of a website digital certificate. However, the presence of a browser padlock does not demonstrate the website is secure—a padlock image can be displayed without it having an associated digital certificate, which is why it is important to click on the padlock image to check for the presence and validity of the digital certificate.

Password

A secret word, phrase or series of characters that is used for authentication.

Patches

A fix for a software program, also known as a software update.

Peer-to-peer file sharing network (P2P)

A decentralised file sharing system. Files are stored on and served by the personal computers of the users.

Pharming

A way of harvesting personal information where a hacker puts a malicious code on your computer that redirects you to a fake site.

Phishing

Phishing refers to fraudulent email messages used to gain access to personal information for illegal purposes such as transferring funds or purchasing goods over the internet.

Pop-up

A pop-up is a graphical user interface (GUI) display area, usually a small window, which suddenly appears ('pops-up') in the foreground of the normal screen.

Privacy settings

Internet privacy settings allow users to control what cookies are stored on their computer.

Remote access

Refers to communication with a computer, network, or data processing facility from a remote location or facility through a link such as the internet or mobile phone.

Rootkit

A rootkit is a software system that consists of one or more programs designed to obscure the fact that a system has been compromised

Router

A router is a device that connects a local network to the internet and determines what route traffic should take to reach its destination. A router may also convert a public IP address to private addresses on the local network and have functionality for filtering certain types of inbound or outbound traffic.

Scam

A commonly used term to describe a confidence trick, relying on email or a website to deliver the trick to unsuspecting users.

Scare ware

Software that pops up a message telling you that your computer is infected with malware and urges you to purchases some security software. Very often the security software is fake.

Security symbols

A secured webpage will have two e-security symbols - a closed padlock on the top or bottom of the browser, and https:// in the address bar. Modern browsers also colour code the address bar to provide another visual cue that the page is secure. These signs help to indicate the presence of a digital certificate, which can provide a way for users to verify the identity and authenticity of a website.

Service Set Identifier (SSID)

The Service Set Identifier (SSID) is the name given to identify a particular Wi-Fi network. The SSID is broadcast by the wireless access point (wireless router) and can be detected by other wireless-enabled devices in range of the wireless access point.

Secure Socket Layer (SSL)

The most widely used security protocol on the internet, used for online banking and shopping sites. Website digital certificates are commonly implemented through SSL. The presence of ‘https’ in the browser address bar demonstrates that the connection between the user’s computer and the website is encrypted. However, ‘https’ can be present when connecting to a website with an invalid digital certificate.

Smishing

Fradulent SMS messages designed to induce users to reveal personal or financial information via the mobile phone.

Spam

Unsolicited email. Most email spam is commercial advertising, often for dubious products, get-rich-quick schemes, or quasi-legal services.

Spyware

Software that is installed on a computing device and takes information from it without the consent or knowledge of the user and gives that information to a third party.

Trojan Horse

A 'trojan' is malicious code which is hidden in a computer program or other computer file which may appear to be useful, interesting, or at the very least harmless to you when using your computer. When this computer program or file is run, the malicious code is also triggered, resulting in the set up or installation of the malicious trojan horse program.

URL

Universal Resource Locator is the technical term for the address (location) of an internet resource on the internet such as a website or image within a website.

Virus

A virus is a computer program designed to 'infect' and corrupt a computer and is able to copy itself. The virus can disrupt programs installed on a computer.

VoIP

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is the routing of voice conversations over the internet. This is distinct from a telephone call which is made from your home or office phone which goes through the Public Switched Telephone Network.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi refers to a set of wireless communication protocols that can transmit traffic to Wi-Fi-enabled devices within a local area. A Wi-Fi-enabled device such as a laptop or PDA can connect to the internet when within range of a wireless network connected to the internet. An area covered by one or more Wi-Fi access points is commonly called a hotspot.

Worm

A worm is a self-replicating virus that does not alter files but resides in active memory and duplicates itself.

Zombie

A compromised computer. See Bot