Glossary
The glossary below is our own compilation based primarily on “The British Chambers of Commerce guide to IT Security”.
Other excellent sites include:
- Microsoft Business Glossary
http://www.microsoft.com/atwork/glossary.mspx#gls_ssl_6DD48266-2279-41E3-BD8E-44F4AFC77FE7
- Microsoft Security Glossary
http://www.microsoft.com/security/glossary.mspx
- The ITsecurity.com Dictionary+ of Information Security
http://www.itsecurity.com/dictionary/dictionary.htm
Glossary of Common Terms
802.11 (a.) A standard for wireless networks that ensures interoperability between different manufacturers. 802.11 networks come in three different variants: a, b and g. 802.11b is the most common while a and g are much faster. Usually cards capable of faster speeds are backwardly-compatible to the b standard.
Access point (n.) A wireless hub that links together different 802.11 network cards to form an ‘infrastructure’ wireless network (as opposed to ad-hoc).
Ad-hoc network (n.) A wireless network that links computers on a peer-to-peer basis rather than routing traffic through a central access point.
Administrator (n.) A user with sufficient access rights to allow them to manage the access rights of other users and carry out other high-level computer management tasks.
Adware A form of spyware that collects information about the user in order to display advertisements in the Web browser or advertising banners, based on the information it collects from the user's browsing patterns.
Anti-virus software (n.) Software specifically designed for the detection and prevention of known viruses.
Authentication (n.) The process for verifying that someone or something is who, or what, it claims to be. In private and public computer networks (including the Internet), authentication is commonly performed through the use of passwords.
BIOS Password (n.) A BIOS is software code that links the operating system to the hardware – it is the most basic piece of software on a computer. It usually includes the ability to stop an unauthorised user starting the machine.
Broadband connection (n.) Broadband connections to the Internet differ from dial-up connections in two ways. First, they are much faster, typically ten times quicker than a modem. Second, they are normally left connected to the Internet permanently and not just when they are in use. Examples of broadband connections include: ADSL, cable modem and fibre-optic leased lines.
Browser hijacker (sometimes called hijackware) A type of malware program that alters a computer's browser settings so that the user is redirected to Web sites they had no intention of visiting.
Buffer (n.) A region of memory reserved for use as an intermediate repository in which data is temporarily held before it is transferred between two locations or devices.
Buffer overrun (n.) A condition that results from adding more information to a buffer than it was designed to hold. An attacker may exploit this vulnerability to take over a system.
Certificate (n.) An encrypted file containing user or server identification information, which is used to verify identity and to help establish a securityenhanced link.
Compact Disc (CD) (n.) A CD-ROM is a data version of a music CD capable of storing up to 700mb of data. Using a CD recorder it is possible to create new CD-ROMs. CD-ROMs cannot be changed after they have been written.
Computer security (n.) The discipline, techniques, and tools designed to help protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data and systems.
Cookie (n.) A small data file that is stored on a user’s local computer for record-keeping purposes and which contains information about the user that is pertinent to a website, such as user preferences.
Cracking (v.) Finding a password by trying many combinations and words.
Critical update (n.) A broadly released fix for a specific problem addressing a critical, non-security-related bug.
DAT (n.) Digital Audio Tape. Used to store data, a DAT tape can store up to 24 GB (although this assumes optimal compression).
Decryption (n.) The process of converting encrypted data back into its original form.
Denial of Service Attack (n.) By overloading a service, hackers seek to make it unavailable to legitimate users. For example, by sending millions of spam emails simultaneously to a mail server, ordinary traffic will get clogged up.
Dial-up Connection (n.) A dial-up connection uses a modem (or sometimes an ISDN terminal adaptor) to connect to an ISP. Usually these connections are quite slow and only open while the user is actually online.
Digital signature (n.) Data that is bundled with a message or transmitted separately and is used to identify and authenticate the sender and message data. A valid digital signature also confirms that the message has not been tampered with.
Domain Name Server (DNS) (n.) A server that converts recognisable domain names (e.g. Microsoft.com) into their unique IP address (e.g. 207.46.245.222).
Download (v.) To transfer a copy of a file from a remote computer to a requesting computer by means of a modem or network.
Elevation of privilege (n). When a user (particularly a malicious user) gains more access rights than they normally have.
Encryption (n.) The process of converting data into cipher text to prevent it from being understood by an unauthorised party.
Firewall (n.) A combination of hardware and software that provides a security system, usually to help prevent unauthorised access from outside to an internal network.
Hacker (n.) Someone who tries to gain unauthorised access to a private system.
Hoax email (n.) An otherwise harmless email that is designed to cause alarm or get itself forwarded to other users (or both). For example a fake virus warning or a chain letter.
Honey pot (n.) A system designed to look like a regular network but which, in fact, monitors and traces unauthorised access.
HTML Format Email (n.) An email that uses HTML to make emails look like web pages.
Hypertext Mark up Language (HTML) (n.) The computer code that is used to describe the contents of web pages.
Internet Service Provider (ISP) (n.) A company that provides access to the Internet.
IP Address (n.) A unique address that is used to identify a computer on the Internet. In its basic form it is made up of four digits separated by dots, called a dotted IP address (for example 192.168.0.1).
IPSec (Internet Protocol Security) (n.) IPSec provides security for transmission of sensitive information over unprotected networks such as the Internet. IPSec acts at the network layer, protecting and authenticating IP packets between participating IPSec devices.
KB article (n.) A technical document in the Microsoft Knowledge Base accessible through Microsoft.com.
Key (n.) In encryption and digital signatures, a value used in combination with an algorithm to encrypt or decrypt data.
Keylogger Sometimes called a keystroke logger, key logger, or system monitor, it is a small program that monitors each keystroke a user types on a computer's keyboard. Typically downloaded unwittingly as spyware, the keylogger program records each keystroke the user types and uploads the information over the Internet periodically to whoever installed the program.
Klez (n.) A particularly virulent species of virus.
L2TP (Layer-2 Tunnelling Protocol) L2TP provides security for transmission of sensitive information over unprotected networks such as the Internet.
Local Area Network (LAN) (n.) A local computer network for communication between computers.
Identity theft Use of malware to harvest a users personal information from their computer in order to carry out fraudulent activities. Typically this can involve credit card or online bank account details.
MAC Filtering (n.) Each network card has a unique ID called a MAC. A wireless network access point can be configured to give access to specific network cards (and the computers in which they are installed), and excludes others on the basis of these MAC addresses.
Mail bomb (n.) An excessively large amount of email data sent to a user’s email address in an attempt to make the user’s email program crash or to prevent the user from receiving further legitimate messages.
Mail relaying (n.) A practice in which an attacker sends email messages from another system’s email server in order to use its resources and/or make it appear that the messages originated from the other system.
Malicious user (n.) A person who has access to a system and poses a security threat to it. An example is someone who tries to elevate their privileges to gain access to unauthorised data.
Malware (for "malicious software") Any program or file that is harmful to a computer user. Thus, malware includes computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and also spyware, programming that gathers information about a computer user without permission.
Microsoft Base Line Security Analyser (n.) A free tool from Microsoft that searches computers for known security vulnerabilities and suggests remedies, available from www.microsoft.com/mbsa
Patch (n.) A software update.
PDA (n.) A portable digital assistant, typically a handheld computer like a Pocket PC.
Pharming A scamming practice in which malicious code is installed on a personal computer or server, misdirecting users to fraudulent Web sites without their knowledge or consent.
Phishing An e-mail fraud where the perpetrator sends out legitimate-looking e-mails that appear to come from well known and trustworthy Web sites in an attempt to gather personal and financial information from the recipient.
Port (n.) Each network service on a given computer has its own port, like a telephone extension.
Port sniffer (n.) A hacker program designed to find open or unguarded ports.
PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunnelling Protocol) PPTP provides security for transmission of sensitive information over unprotected networks such as the Internet.
Private key (n.) One of two keys in public key encryption. The user keeps the private key secret and uses it to encrypt digital signatures and to decrypt received messages.
Proxy server (n.) A firewall component that manages Internet traffic to and from a local area network (LAN) and can provide other functions, such as document caching and access control.
Public key (n.) One of two keys in public key encryption. The user releases this key to the public and anyone can use it to encrypt messages to be sent to the user and decrypt the user’s digital signature. Compare private key.
Public key encryption (n.) An asymmetric encryption scheme that uses a pair of keys for encryption: the public key encrypts data, and a corresponding secret key decrypts it. For digital signatures, the process is reversed: the sender uses the secret key to create a unique electronic number that can be read by anyone possessing the corresponding public key, which verifies that the message is truly from the sender. See also private key, public key.
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) (n.) Generally, the laws, policies, standards, and software that regulate or manipulate certificates, and public and private keys.
RAID (n.) A Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks. Instead of using one large, expensive disk, most servers use a RAID array. There are different levels of redundancy, so a RAID level 5 has the highest level of safety. A single disk in the array can fail or even be removed and the data remains safe.
Rootkit A collection of tools (programs) that a hacker uses to mask intrusion and obtain administrator-level access to a computer or computer network.
Router (n.) A device that determines the next network point to which a data packet should be forwarded on its way toward its destination. Routers are used to move packets around the Internet and most broadband connections end with a router in your building that connects your LAN to the rest of the Internet.
Script kiddies (n.) Inexperienced hackers who use publicly available tools.
Server (n.) A computer that provides a service to other computers over a network.
Spam (n.) Unsolicited commercial email, also known as junk email.
Spoof (v.) To make a transmission appear to come from a user other than the user who performed the action.
Spyware Software is put in someone's computer to secretly gather information about the user and relay it to advertisers or other interested parties.
SSID (n.) The SSID is the name given to a wireless network which enables users to find it.
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) A protocol developed for transmitting information via the Internet that uses encryption to keep the transmitted data secure. SSL is used by many Web sites to enable users to safely transmit confidential information, such as credit card numbers.
Strong password (n.) A password that provides an effective defence against unauthorised access to a resource. A strong password is at least six characters long, does not contain all or part of the user’s account name, and contains at least three of the four following categories of characters: uppercase letters, lowercase letters, base 10 digits, and symbols found on the keyboard, such as !, @, and #.
TCP/IP (n.) Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol. The protocols, or conventions, that computers use to communicate over the Internet
Technology journalist (n.) A harmless drudge.
Trojan horse (n.) A computer program that appears to be useful but that actually does damage. more...
Virtual private network (VPN) (n.) A private data network that makes use of a public network, such as the Internet, by encrypting data at one node and using security procedures that provides a “tunnel” through which the data can pass to another node.
Virus (n.) Code written with the express intention of replicating itself. A virus attempts to spread from computer to computer by attaching itself to a host program. It may damage hardware, software, or data. Compare worm. more...
VPN (n.) See virtual private network.
Vulnerability (n.) Any product flaw, administrative process or act, or physical exposure that makes a computer susceptible to attack by a malicious user.
War chalking (v.) Using chalk symbols on walls to indicate the presence and configuration of an insecure wireless network.
War driving (v.) Locating insecure wireless networks by scanning for them with a portable computer and special software.
WEP (n.) WEP data encryption is defined by the 802.11 standard to prevent eavesdropping and access to the network by malicious users.
Wi-Fi (a.) See 802.11
Worm (n.) A subclass of virus. A worm generally spreads without user action and distributes complete copies (possibly modified) of itself across networks. A worm can consume memory or network bandwidth, thus causing a computer to stop responding. more...
