Encyclopedia of Risks and Threats

Index of entries

• Account Hijacking – Using someone else's personal information to access current financial accounts or create new ones
• Active Content – Interactive Web content that can carry malicious code
• Adware – Software that displays advertising banners or pop-up windows
• Anonymizer – A tool that makes your Web navigation untraceable
• Anti-virus Software – Software that protects your computer from malware
• Asymmetric Encryption – Encryption method that uses two different keys
• Authentication, Authorization, Accounting (AAA) – The three elements necessary to insure the privacy and security of online information
• Backdoor – A method of accessing a computer system undetected for either illegitimate or legitimate access
• Bandwidth – How fast information can be moved from one computer to another
• Biometrics – Using biological information to authenticate people
• Black Hat – A person who compromises a computer system's security without authorization, typically maliciously
• Blacklist – A way to filter Internet traffic so that all traffic is allowed except for that from selected servers
• Blogging – Publishing an online diary
• Bluebugging – Use of Bluetooth to illegitimately access sensitive information on mobile devices
• Bluejacking – Using Bluetooth to send unsolicited messages to nearby Bluetooth-enabled devices
• Bluesnarfing – Stealing information from mobile devices using a wireless connection
• Bluetooth – A way for portable devices to communicate with each other over short-distances
• Bookmark – A browser feature that allows you to click to a Web site, rather than have you type the address.
• Botnet – A group of compromised computers controlled by a central authority, usually a hacker
• Bridge – A device that connects two local area networks that use the same protocol
• Brute Force Attack – Figuring out a password by trying every possible combination of letters, numbers, and symbols
• Buffer Overflow – A type of vulnerability in software that allows attackers to go inside the system and damage it
• CALEA – A law requiring telecommunications companies to cooperate with operations by law enforcement agencies to intercept communications
• CAN-SPAM – A law that sets standards for sending unsolicited email
• CAPTCHA – A software tool used on Web sites to tell apart humans and Internet bots
• CERT – An organization at Carnegie Mellon University devoted to creating and distributing information on best practices for computer security
• CERT/CC – A major coordination center at Carnegie Mellon University dealing with Internet security problems
• Cache – Temporary data storage area on your computer
• Caller ID Anti-Spoofing Act – A law in Florida against the dishonest use of a telephone caller identification (ID) system with the intent to deceive, defraud or mislead
• Certificate Authority (CA) – Entity that issues digital certificates
• Certificate Revocation List (CRL) – List of digital certificates that have expired or been revoked
• Chanslash – Fan fiction that involves underage characters in romantic pairings
• Chat Code – A system of symbols, acronyms, and abbreviations used online
• Chat Room – Virtual locations on the Internet where two or more users can communicate with one another in real time
• Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) – A law that pushes schools and libraries to have an Internet safety policy and technology protection measures for children
• Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) – A law that sets limits on Web sites that market to children
• Click Fraud – The imitation of clicking on web advertisements to increase ad revenue for the Web site owner
• Client – A computing system that acts like a user by requesting services from another computer called a server
• Client Authentication – A process Web sites use to identify valid users
• Cloud Computing – A service that broadly shares access of computer resources via the Internet
• Communications Protocol – A set of rules or standards that allow two computers to "talk" to each other.
• Computer Fraud and Abuse Act – A law to protect information and computer systems from the attacks of hackers
• Confidentiality – Accessibility of computer information exclusively to those authorized to access it
• Cookie – Information, usually in a file, about someone’s Internet activities, such as the date of the last visit to a Web site, preferences, etc.
• Cookie Scrubber – A tool for removing cookies, which contain a user's sensitive authentication and web-surfing history information
• Cracking – Trying to get into computer systems in order to steal, corrupt, or illegitimately view data
• Crimeware – A special type of malware used to commit financial crimes
• Cross-site Request Forgery – A malicious exploit that allows an unauthorized request on behalf of an authenticated user on a website.
• Cross-site Scripting (XSS) – A vulnerability of dynamic Web content where a malicious user may embed code into a Web site that may cross over to a victim's computer
• Cryptology – The science of disguising meaning by using codes or ciphers
• Cryptovirology – The study of how hackers create and deploy powerful malicious software
• CyLab – An initiative led by Carnegie Mellon University to research and provide education about secure computing and communications systems
• Cyber Espionage – The use of software tools to obtain secret or private government or business information
• Cyberbullying – Using the Internet to harass, intimidate, embarrass, or demean others
• Cyberpiracy – Using the Internet to copy a digital document without authorization
• Cyberstalking – Using the Internet to threaten or make unwanted advances towards someone else
• Cyberterrorism – Threat, harm or extortion via the Internet
• Cyberwoozling – The unauthorized gathering of data from visitors of a Web site
• Data Theft – The unauthorized taking or interception of computer-based information
• Decryption – Conversion of a coded message to a readable form
• Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA) – A proposed U.S. law to prohibit the use of community Web sites by online predators
• Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) – The protective hardware and software between an internal network (LAN) and the external network (Internet)
• Denial of Service (DoS) – A type of attack used to prevent legitimate users from accessing services or resources
• Digital Certificates – A way to authenticate the identity of a computer or user
• Digital Dirt – Traces left behind of your Internet activity that could reflect poorly on you
• Digital Identity – A name and credentials created to participate in electronic transactions
• Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) – A law against the use of technology to violate copyright
• Digital Rights Management – A system that restricts use of digital media to only the rightful owner
• Digital Signature – A special file used to confirm the identity of the sender and integrity of an electronic document
• Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) – A method of digital data transmission over the telephone network
• Digital Wallet – The electronic equivalent of a wallet for e-commerce transactions
• Digital Watermarking – Copyright information in the form of bits that are inserted into digital content and difficult to remove
• Directory Traversal Attack – Attacks that access restricted files by combing through a computer's directories
• Disk Scrubber – A tool that makes it difficult for data deleted from a computer's hard disk to be recovered
• Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) – Interfering with a computer system by sending more Internet traffic to it than it can handle
• Domain Name – A string of text that identifies one or more computers on the Internet
• Drive Encryption Tools – Tools used to store sensitive or other information on your hard drive or disk partition in a form that only you can read
• Dummy Account – An email account created to divert unimportant or unsolicited mail
• E-commerce – Buying items online and conducting business over the Internet
• E-money – Activities such as online banking, online money transfers and online trading
• Easter Egg – A hidden feature or functionality in software that usually activates only when certain keystrokes or commands are typed
• Eavesdropping – Method of secretly listening in on a conversation
• Electronic Auctions – Auctions where the transaction takes place over the Internet
• Email – A system for sending and receiving electronic messages over a computer network
• Email Client – A software application that handles electronic mail
• Email Privacy Tools – Software using encryption, digital signatures and other methods to prevent compromise of information in emails.
• Encryption – Disguising information to make it unreadable
• Ethernet – A communication protocol that provides rules for signaling and communication between two computers or devices on a local area network
• Evil Twin Hotspot – A fraudulent WiFi access point that has been set up by hackers to look legitimate
• Exploit – A piece of software that targets vulnerabilities in installed software in order to take over a computer
• Extensible Markup Language (XML) – A computer language that can be used across many different computer operating systems and environments.
• Fake Anti-spyware – Harmful programs disguised as anti-spyware
• Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) – A law that safeguards the records and personal information of students
• File Sharing – Making files available for others to download, or downloading such files
• File Transfer Protocol (FTP) – A common method for transferring files between two computers on a network
• Firewall – A device that monitors and controls the traffic coming into and out of your computer
• Firmware – Software that is embedded in hardware
• Fisking – Criticism that highlights perceived errors or other problems in a statement, article, essay or blog entry
• Flaming – Posting messages that are deliberately hostile and insulting
• Flight Mode – A PDA or mobile phone setting that enables only non-wireless features
• Folksonomy – A system of classifying data based on user-created metadata, or "tags"
• Forensics – Using computer science and technology to investigate crimes
• Geographical Information Systems (GIS) – A system for collecting, analyzing and managing spatially related data
• Geotagging – The method of adding location information to digital media, such as photos and text messages
• Griefer – Individuals who play multiplayer online games with the intent to harass other players
• HTTP – A communication protocol that defines how messages are sent across the World Wide Web
• HTTPS – A method of secure Web-based information transfer
• Hacking – Trying to get into computer systems in order to steal, corrupt, or illegitimately view data
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) – A law that safeguards computer-based health information
• Hoax – Phony email warning about a computer virus or other threat
• Honeypot – A trap or decoy used to divert, detect and characterize would-be attackers of a computer system
• Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) – A computer language that is used for creating World Wide Web pages
• IEEE 802.11 – A suite of wireless communication protocols
• IJacking – Theft of a laptop by snatching it from an owner's hands
• IP Address – A number used to identify a computer or other device on the Internet
• IP Spoofing – Using fake computer identification to communicate with another machine, usually for malicious purposes
• Identity Theft – When someone uses your personal information to commit fraud
• Information Networking Institute (INI) – An integral department of Carnegie Mellon University’s College of Engineering and the nation’s first research and education center devoted to information networking
• Instant Messaging (IM) – A communication service that allows you to chat online using text messages
• Internet – The world’s biggest computer network, providing many services, including email, e-commerce and multimedia
• Internet Bot – A software program that performs tasks over the Internet in an automated manner
• Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) – Email protocol that allows you to access email via the Internet
• Internet Privacy – The general freedom from compromise of your personal or other sensitive information while using the Internet
• Internet Protocol (IP) – A set of rules used by the Internet for computer communication and addressing
• Intrusion – Getting into someone's computer without their permission
• Intrusion Detection System – A piece of software or hardware that recognizes attacks against computers and networks and responds with alarms and countermeasures
• Java – Popular programming language
• JavaScript – Java-based scripting language for Web pages
• Keylogger – A device or software that records keystrokes entered by a user, usually to secretly monitor and/or maliciously use this information
• Laptop Theft – Stealing of laptop computers, typically from public places where they are left behind or unattended
• Leetspeak – A way of communicating online in code by changing the spellings of words
• Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) – A phonebook-like method for accessing and compactly presenting information on users and resources available on a computer network
• Local Area Network (LAN) – A group of computers within a small area, such as a house, office or school, that are connected to each other
• Lurking – Hanging out on Internet bulletin boards or chat rooms without posting
• MAC Address – A unique identifier for network interface cards
• Malware – Programs that are designed to harm your computer
• Man in the Middle Attack – Intercepting communications between two parties without either party knowing about it
• Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act – A bill introduced to Congress after a tragic case of cyberbullying led to a young teenager's suicide
• Misinformation – Incorrect or misleading information on Web sites
• Mobile Browsing – Using a mobile phone to access the Internet
• Mobile Device – Portable devices for communication and computation
• Mobile Operating System – A generic term for the system and resource management software (i.e., operating system) for mobile devices
• Mobile Software – Application software for mobile devices
• Moblogging – An application that lets you read and write emails using a Web browser
• Near Field Communication (NFC) – A method of short-range wireless communications intended for processing transactions and transferring small amounts of data
• Netiquette – A code of conduct followed on the Internet in order to be respectful and clearly understood (Internet + etiquette)
• Network Address Translation – A method for hiding the internal structure of a network and allowing it to use a single public IP address
• Online Dating – A web service for establishing friendships and romantic relationships
• Online Gambling – The placing of bets using the Internet
• Online Grooming – Working to gain the trust of children and young people, often with the goal of a sexual relationship, though the use of cyber technology like the Internet or mobile phone
• Online Identity – A social identity that network users establish in online communities
• Packet Filtering – Selectively allowing or preventing chunks of information from entering a computer network
• Packet Sniffer – A program that reads or snoops on network traffic
• Palmtop – A computer that fits in the palm of your hand
• Parental Control Software – Software that allows parents to monitor and limit children's online activity
• Passcard – Means of identification for granting access, either physically or using software
• Password – A string of letters, numbers and/or symbols that grants access to something private
• Password Cracking – Trying to figure out someone else's computer password to get past a security system
• Password Security Tools – Software that stores multiple website-access passwords in encrypted form, so you can use them by remembering a single master password
• Patch – A modification to a software program or an operating system that is issued by the manufacturer
• Pay Per Click – An arrangement whereby Web advertisers pay Web site owners for each click on an advertisement.
• Pharming – Redirecting users from legitimate Web sites they are trying to visit to fraudulent Web sites
• Phishing – Using fake Web sites to trick you into giving away personal information
• Photo Sharing – Sharing and distributing digital photos over the Internet
• Pin Cracking – A procedure for breaking into Bluetooth devices by determining the personal identification number (PIN) used for secure transmissions
• Plagiarism – Using content that has been created by others without giving them due credit
• Platform for Privacy Preferences (P3P) – A protocol that allows a Web site to declare to users its intended use for the information it collects
• Plug-in – A software module that adds some specific service or function to a larger system
• Pop-up Blocker – Software to suppress automatically displayed browser windows, called pop-ups, which are often used for advertisements
• Port – An interface on a computer used to connect it to another device
• Port Scanning – Trying to find open ports on a computer in order to gain access to it
• Portable Document Format (PDF) – A format of electronic documents that permits viewing and accessing without the need to have the software that originally created it
• Post Office Protocol (POP) – Email protocol that downloads email to your computer
• Privacy Tools – Software or hardware that helps to keep your personal information from being illegitimately seen or acquired
• Proxy Server – A server used to make an Internet connection from certain computers
• Quick Response (QR) Code – A two-dimensional barcode that mobile phones can quickly scan
• RSS – A tool for incrementally or selectively downloading digital content from frequently updated sources, such as news sites
• Radio-Frequency Identification – A means of uniquely identifying objects via radio-frequency communication
• Remote Desktop (RD) – Technology that allows you to interact with a remote computer as if it were in front of you
• Router – A computer networking device that forwards data between networks
• SMS Spam – Junk mail sent to mobile phones
• SSL Client Certificate – Certificate used in SSL connections that contains detailed identification information about a user
• Script Kiddie – Someone who relies on existing tools and programs to exploit weaknesses in computers
• Search Engine – Software that quickly finds information on the Web
• Secure Instant Messaging – Software that makes data less likely to be compromised when using instant messaging
• Secure Remote Login – A way of accessing a distant computer with low risk of compromising a username, password and data
• Secure Shell (SSH) – A protocol for gaining secure access from your computer to a remote computer
• Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) – A protocol that dictates how two computer systems should exchange messages
• Security Key – A tool used to encrypt and decrypt content
• Server – Computer system that provides shared resources over a network
• Sexting – A slang term for the sending of sexually explicit or suggestive content between mobile devices
• Short Message Service (SMS) – A service that lets you send short text messages between mobile devices, known as "texting"
• Smart Cards and Tokens – Objects that have microchips in them loaded with identifying information
• Smurfing – In gaming, targeting players below your skill level; Also, a type of Denial of Service attack
• Social Engineering – Using manipulation and deceit to trick victims into giving out confidential information
• Social Media – Online communication tools that enable users to make instant connections and interactions
• Social Networking Sites – Sites that let you post a profile and create a network with other people
• Spam – Unwanted email used mainly for advertising
• Spoofing Card – A communication service that allows you to choose what phone number displays on caller ID when someone receives a call from you
• Spyware – Software that sends information from your computer to a third party without your consent
• Steganography – A process of hiding secret information within other inconspicuous information
• Streaming Media – Media that can be played while it is still being received
• Switch – A device that connects multiple computers or devices within a single network
• Symmetric Encryption – Encryption method where the same key is used to encrypt and decrypt messages
• Team Dating – An online service facilitating social interactions among groups
• Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) – The set of rules for communication on which most major networks are based
• Trojan Horse – A malicious program disguised as legitimate software
• Trolling – A person who posts rude or offensive messages on the Internet with the intent to disrupt a discussion or upset its participants
• Uniform Resource Locator (URL) – Address of a Web page or other Web resource
• Virtual Private Network (VPN) – The set of rules for communication on which most major networks are based
• Virtual Tourism – The activity of "visiting" sites of interest over the Internet without having to physically travel to them
• Virus – A self-replicating program that spreads by inserting copies of itself into other code or documents
• Vishing – Using fake phone numbers to trick you into giving away personal information
• VoIP – Technology that allows you to make telephone calls using the Internet
• War Driving – Driving around with a computer to find and access wireless networks
• Web 2.0 – The second generation of the World Wide Web, characterized by social networking and a high degree of content created by users
• Web Beacon – An invisible object that is placed on a web page or in an email that is used to monitor the activities of users
• Web Browser – Software that allows you to view Web pages
• Web Page – The basic unit of information on the Web
• Web Site – A group of Web pages with related content and a home page as a main point of entry
• Web Traffic – Measurements of the frequency and time spent by Web site visitors on a site, which indicate the popularity and utility of the site
• Web-based Group – A forum on the Internet set up for dialogue among a community of interest
• Web-based Keyboard – A computer program that displays a keyboard image with all its keys on the screen
• Webmail – An application that lets you read and write emails using a Web browser
• WiFi – Wireless Fidelity, shorthand for various wireless networking technologies
• Wiki – A type of Web site that allows users to easily add and edit content using any Web browser
• Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) – A set of rules for how data should be sent between mobile devices during wireless communication
• Worm – A self-replicating, self-spreading malicious program
• Zero Day Attack – An attack against a computer application even before a vulnerability or fix for it has been announced
• Zombie Machine – A computer that an attacker has taken control of using malware