| Adware: A type of software that
often comes with free downloads. Some adware displays ads on your computer, while some monitors your computer use (including websites visited) and displays targeted ads based on your use. Anti-Virus Software: Protects your computer from viruses that can destroy your data, slow your computer’s performance, cause a crash, or even allow spammers to send email through your account. Bandwidth: A measure of the “speed” of an Internet connection. Biz Opps: Shorthand for “business opportunity;” some schemes involve extravagant and unfounded earnings claims and are actually fraudulent business ventures. Blocking Software: Computer programs that filter content from the Internet and block access to some websites or content based on specified criteria. Blog: Short for Web log. A blog is a website to which one or more people post their personal observations on particular subjects. Bookmark: A Web browser feature that allows you to save the addresses of interesting or frequently used websites, so that you can readily revisit them. Browser: A program that allows a user to find, view, hear, and interact with material on the Internet. Browser Hijacker: A common spyware program that changes your Web browser’s home page automatically, even if you change it back. Cache: A form of computer memory that allows you to access stored information, such as Web addresses you’ve recently typed into your browser, more quickly. Pronounced, “cash.” CAN-SPAM Act: A law that prohibits senders of unsolicited commercial email from using false or misleading header information or deceptive subject lines, and requires them to identify each email as an advertisement, among other provisions. Chat Room: The name given to a place or page in a website or online service where people can type messages that are displayed almost instantly on the screens of others who are in the “chat room.” Cookies: A small text file that a website can place on your computer’s hard drive to collect information about your activities on the site or to allow other capabilities on the site. Cyberspace: Used to distinguish the physical world from the digital, or computer-based, world. Domain: A segment of Internet space, denoted by the function or type of information it includes; current domains include “.com” for commercial sites, “.gov” for government ones, and “.org” for noncommercial organizations. ns. Download: To copy files from one computer to another. Drive-by Download: Software that installs on your computer without your knowledge when you visit certain websites. To avoid drive-by downloads, make sure to update your operating system and Web browser regularly. DSL(Digital Subscriber Line): A means of accessing the Internet at high speed using standard phone lines. Encryption: The scrambling of data into a secret code that can be read only by software set to decode the information. End User Licensing Agreement (EULA): A provider’s legal terms. You, as the “end user,” may be required to “click” to accept before you can download software. Exposure: When sensitive data is released to someone without authorization. Extended Service Set Identifier (ESSID): The name a manufacturer assigns to a router. It may be a standard, default name assigned by the manufacturer to all hardware of that model. Users can improve security by changing to a unique name. Similar to a Service Set Identifier (SSID). Filter: Software that screens information on the Internet, classifies its content, and allows the user to block certain kinds of content. File Sharing: Accessing files on one computer from another computer. Firewall: Hardware or software that helps keep hackers from using your computer to send out your personal information without your permission. Firewalls watch for outside attempts to access your system and block communications to and from sources you don’t permit. Gigabyte: A measure of computer memory equaling 1,024 megabytes. Hacker: Someone who uses the Internet to access computers without permission. 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. Hypertext Markup Language (HTML): A coding language used to create documents on the Internet and control how Web pages appear. Hidden Dialers: Programs that you may unknowingly download that can use your computer to silently dial expensive phone calls, which later show up on your phone bill. HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol): The standard language that computers connected to the World Wide Web use to communicate with each other Instant Message (IM): Technology, similar to a chat room, which notifies a user when a friend is online, allowing them to “converse” by exchanging text messages. Internet Protocol (IP): The computer language that allows computer programs to communicate over the Internet. IP Address: A computer’s “address,” it consists of a series of numbers separated by periods. ISP (Internet Service Provider): A company that sells direct access to the Internet. Java: A computer programming language that enables Web pages to include animations, calculators, scrolling text, sound effects, and games. JPEG: Shorthand for “Joint Photographic Experts Group,” a computer file format that reduces the size of graphics by using compression. Keystroke Logger: A device or program that records each keystroke typed on a particular computer. LAN (Local Area Network): A network of connected computers that are generally located near each other, such as in an office or school. Media Access Control (MAC) Address: A unique number that the manufacturer assigns to each computer or other device in a network. |
Monitoring Software: Programs
that allow a parent or caregiver to monitor the websites a child visits or email messages he or she reads, without blocking access. Netiquette: The informal rules of Internet courtesy, enforced exclusively by other Internet users. Network: A group of two or more computers that are able to communicate with one another. Online Profiling: Compiling information about consumers’ preferences and interests by tracking their online movements and actions to create targeted ads. Operating System: The main program that runs on a computer. An operating system allows other software to run and prevents unauthorized users from accessing the system. Major operating systems include UNIX, Windows, MacOS, and Linux. Opt-in: When a user explicitly permits a website to collect, use, or share his or her information. Opt-out: When a user expressly requests that his or her information not be collected, used and/or shared. Sometimes a user’s failure to “opt-out” is interpreted as “opting in.” P2P, Peer-to-Peer: An informal network that allows users to share music, games, software, or other files with other users online. Parental Controls: Tools that allow parents to prevent their children from accessing certain Internet content they might find inappropriate. Patches/ Software Patches: Software updates that fix a particular problem or vulnerability within a program. Personal Information: Information that can identify you, like your bank and credit card account numbers; your income; your Social Security number; or your name, address, and phone numbers. Pharming: Similar in nature to e-mail phishing, pharming seeks to obtain personal or private (usually financial related) information through domain spoofing. Phishing: A scam that involves Internet fraudsters who send spam or pop-up messages to lure personal information (credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security number, passwords, or other sensitive information) from unsuspecting victims. Pop-up Messages or Ads: Unsolicited advertising that appears as its own browser window. RAM: Shorthand for “Random Access Memory,” it’s the hardware inside your computer that retains memory on a short-term basis and stores information while you work. Router: A device that connects two or more networks. A router finds the best path for forwarding information across the networks. Secure Socket Layer (SSL): A protocol used to transmit sensitive data, like credit card information, securely via the Internet. Social Networking Sites: Websites that allow users to build online profiles; share information, including personal information, photographs, blog entries, and music clips; and connect with other users. Sock Puppet: A secret alias used by a member of an Internet community, but not acknowledged by that person. Software: A computer program with instructions that enable the computer hardware to work. System software – such as Windows or MacOS – operates the machine itself, and application software – such as spreadsheet or word processing programs – provides specific functionality. Spam: Unsolicited commercial email, often sent in bulk. Spam Zombies: Home computers that have been taken over by spammers who then use them to send spam in a way that hides the true origin. Spammer: Someone who sends unsolicited commercial email, often in bulk. Spoofing: Forging an e-mail header or Web addresses to make it appear as if the message or website came from somewhere or someone other than the actual source. Spyware: A software program that may be installed on your computer without your consent to monitor your use, send pop-up ads, redirect your computer to certain websites, or record keystrokes, which could lead to identity theft. Trojans: Programs that, when installed on your computer, enable unauthorized people to access it and sometimes to send spam from it. Upload: To copy or send files or data from one computer to another. URL (Uniform Resource Locator): The address for a webpage, such as www. ftc.gov. Virus: A program that can sneak onto your computer – often through an email attachment – and then make copies of itself, quickly using up all available memory. VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol): A category of hardware and software that lets you use the Internet as the transmission medium for telephone calls. Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA): A security protocol developed to fix flaws in WEP. Encrypts data sent to and from wireless devices within a network. Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP): A security protocol that encrypts data sent to and from wireless devices within a network. Not as strong as WPA encryption. Wireless Network: A method of connecting a computer to other computers or to the Internet without cables. World Wide Web: An Internet system, which distributes graphical, hyperlinked information through a browser. Worm: A program that reproduces itself over a network and can use up your computer’s resources and possibly shut your system down. Zombies: Home computers that have been taken over by spammers, who then use them to send spam in a way that hides the true origin |