Online Language
Confused by all this talk of trojans, worms and spyware?
You’re not alone!
The great world of technology changes so quickly, sometimes it’s hard to know the difference between A, B and C. Here, we give you some short descriptions to guide you through the online language:
A-G
ActiveX Controls
These controls can link to any object within a web page, however cyber criminals can use these to download spyware onto your computer. Only accept ActiveX Controls from trusted websites.
ADSL
ADSL is a type of high speed broadband Internet access that uses phone lines to get online. Users can make and receive phone calls without having to disconnect from the Internet.
ADSL2 and ADSL2+
These are the successors to ADSL (see above). ADSL2 and ADLS2+ transfer data faster and further than standard ADSL. Faster Internet access improves the quality of internet services such as video streaming and phone calls made over the internet.
Adware
Software installed on your computer that shows you unwanted advertisements.
Anti-Spyware Software
Software designed to protect your computer and personal details from Spyware and Adware.
Anti-Virus Software
Software designed to detect and prevent viruses from infecting your computer. New viruses spread fast, so ensure your anti-virus software is always running and updated on a weekly basis.
Bot
An automated program that performs in lieu of a human operator. Spyware bots secretly install through worms and Trojans, to carry out remote attacks, such as Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks.
Botnet
A network of bots, controlled remotely that are installed on multiple computers, each running identical malware.
Cable
Broadband Internet access via the Pay TV cable. Bandwidth is shared by everyone else using the same cable.
Cookies
These are small files stored on a computer’s hard drive. Cookies are generally harmless and are used to recognise a user so that they can receive a more consistent experience at a particular website. Cookies can contain information about your preferences that allows customisation of a site for your use.
Cyber Criminal
A cyber criminal is a person who commits a crime on the Internet.
Cyber Crime
Cyber crime is any crime committed by a person online.
Dial-Up
Dial-up Internet access uses phone lines to get online. Users cannot make or receive phone calls whilst online.
Denial-of-Service (DoS) Attack
DoS is an attack which stops a person from accessing a website or a network. Although DoS attacks damage productivity and are highly frustrating, the hacker’s main purpose is disruption and not identity theft.
Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Attack
DDoS uses multiple computers to target a single person. A cyber criminal can hijack your computer and force it and others to perform a DoS attack against other computers, users, or networks without you knowing anything.
Encryption
Encryption converts data into an encoded form before it’s sent over the Internet. This helps prevent unauthorised users from reading your information. At DocLocker we use SSL Encryption more than twice the banking industry standard level. Look for ‘https://’ in your web browser address bar and/or a locked ‘padlock’ symbol at the bottom right corner of your web browser, to know you’re in a secure encrypted environment.
Filename Extensions
The last three letters (or numbers) of a file’s full name.
Firewall
A software program or piece of hardware that prevents unwanted network connections from reaching your computer.
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H-M
Hacker
Hackers can act with beneficial or malicious intentions. Hacking can involve deconstructing or tweaking a file / program’s performance, damaging computer systems, gaining from stored data, or controlling computers remotely.
Identity Theft
The crime of stealing personal and/or financial information, such as name, bank account/credit card numbers, with the intent to commit fraud.
IP Address
An IP address is the Internet equivalent of a street address and consists of four numbers separated by periods, such as "127.0.0.1". Each computer on the Internet must have an IP address in order for other computers to be able to find and communicate with it.
Keystroke Logging
A program that runs silently in the background and records every keystroke made on a PC. Your sensitive information is sent across the Internet, where thieves can access data that could contain your usernames, passwords, credit card or even bank account numbers.
Malware
Malware is a general term used to describe any kind of harmful software, such as Spyware or Trojans.
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N-S
Online Fraud
Any type of fraud committed on the Internet.
Pharming
Pharming attacks are designed to steal personal information without the knowledge of the person being attacked. Pharmers hijack a website and redirect visitors to a mirror site. Here they will be prompted to provide personal data, which pharmers can collect and use.
Phishing
Users are lured into giving personal information through ‘spoofed’ emails. These emails appear to be from a legitimate organisation, such as a bank, and contain a link to a site that requires the users account information. This is a favourite fraud technique for cyber criminals.
Pop-ups / Pop-up Blockers
Pop-ups are web browser windows that open automatically and usually contain advertisements. They can also be used by cyber criminals as a means to install spyware on your PC. Pop-up blockers prevent these windows from opening. Most web browsers have pop-up blocking software built in.
Rootkit
Software that allows intruders to conceal malicious files and programs on your PC. Rootkits can be hard to uninstall and allow fraudsters to conduct illegal activities undetected.
Screen Grabber
Software that takes a snapshot of the computer screen, and sends the screenshot to a third party that can see usernames, passwords, and anything else that was visible on the screen when the picture was taken.
Security Vulnerabilities
Faults, defects or programming errors that can be exploited by criminal hackers to access unauthorised networks or web servers. Software publishers develop patches, fixes or updates for users to download to fix the problems.
Session Time-out
Users are automatically disconnected from a secure session after an inactive period of time, logging the user out of the system.
Spam
Unsolicited messages sent to a user’s email address. Originally used mostly for advertising, spam has now evolved to also contain attachments with viruses, malware or even links to dangerous websites.
Spoof
Malicious hackers can use misleading website addresses, spam e-mails, and IP addresses to trick users into responding to alerts that appear to be issued by trusted organisations such as banks. Users who respond to the fake alerts are prompted to enter private data, which is most often then used in identity theft. Spoofs are instrumental in carrying out phishing and pharming scams.
Spyware
Spyware is software that secretly records information on your computer such as the keys you type and sends that information across the internet to an unauthorised person.
SSL / SSL Certificate
Secure Socket Layer (SSL) is a networking protocol designed to allow for transparent encrypted communications between two computers. An SSL certificate allows this encryption to work and verifies the holder of the certificate. When you see an "https://" in your web browser address bar, your browser is using SSL to communicate with the web server and you are in a secure encrypted environment.
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T-Z
Trojan
Trojans can slip into a user’s PC and run without their knowledge. They can have many functions, such as using a computer’s modem to dial long-distance calls, generating huge phone bills for the PC owner.
Virus
Like human viruses, computer viruses are harmful and can spread easily, infecting multiple hosts. Viruses are notorious for corrupting hardware, software, personal files, and even erasing hard drives. The virus LoverLetter/ILUVYOU infected over 40 million PCs worldwide in May 2000.
Wireless
Wireless internet is broadband internet access that doesn't use a telephone line or cable network. You connect to the internet using radio frequency bands.
Web Browser
An application program, such as Internet Explorer or Firefox, designed for users to view websites.
Worm
A software program that automatically spreads throughout a collection of computers connected to a network or the Internet. Worms can destroy or even shut down computers. The CodeRed worm automatically hacked into over 350,000 computers in July 2001.
Zombie
Criminal hackers use viruses, trojans and worms to remotely operate a compromised machine without the knowledge of its owner. These Zombie computers often host programs that allow them to be used for malicious botnet and DDoS attacks.
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