Listed below are some common
security terms and their definitions.
| Anti-Spyware
Software |
| A
program used to protect your computer from
spyware. |
| |
| Anti-Virus
Software |
| A
program used to protect your computer from viruses.
|
| |
| Browser |
| Short
for Web browser, it is a software application used to
locate and display Web pages. Two popular browsers are
Netscape® Navigator and Microsoft® Internet
Explorer. |
| |
| CERT®
Coordination Center |
| The
CERT/CC is a major reporting center for Internet
security problems. Staff members provide technical advice and
coordinate responses to security compromises, identify trends in
intruder activity, work with other security experts to identify
solutions to security problems, and disseminate information to the
community at large. The CERT/CC also analyzes product
vulnerabilities, publishes technical documents, and presents
training courses. They are located at Carnegie Mellon
University. |
| |
| Firewall |
| Software
or hardware designed to prevent unauthorized access to or from a
private network. Firewalls are frequently used to prevent
unauthorized Internet users from accessing private networks
connected to the Internet, especially intranets. |
| |
| Identity
Theft |
| The act
of stealing personal information about you, such as
your Social Security Number, date of birth, credit card numbers,
etc. and using that information to impersonate you. The identity
thief will generally obtain credit using your name and other
identifiers. |
| |
| Intranet |
| A
network belonging to an organization, usually a
corporation, accessible only by the organization's members,
employees or others with authorization. An intranet Website looks
and acts just like any other Website, but the firewall surrounding
an intranet fends off unauthorized access. |
| |
| Masking (account
numbers) |
| Altering
an account number so that the whole number cannot
be seen (e.g. xxxxx6789). |
| |
| Pharming |
| Pharming
is when someone changes the Internet lookup system to redirect your
browser to a fake site to obtain personal or private information.
Your browser will show you a fake Website that appears to look like
the real Website, which makes pharming a bit more serious and
difficult to detect. |
| |
| Phishing |
| The
act of sending an e-mail to you falsely claiming to be a
legitimate enterprise in an attempt to have you surrender private
information that may be used for either identity theft or to conduct
unauthorized transactions on your account. The e-mail usually
directs you to visit a Website where you are asked to update
personal information such as passwords, credit card information,
social security numbers and bank account information. The people who
generate these e-mails may use any personal information you update
to steal your identity. Remember, a legitimate organization would
not ask you via e-mail to update your personal information online.
|
| |
| Spam/Spammers
|
| Electronic
junk mail. Spam is generally e-mail advertising
for some product sent to a mailing list. |
| |
| Spyware |
| Any
software that covertly gathers your information through
the Internet connection without your knowledge or consent, usually
for advertising purposes. Spyware is typically bundled as a hidden
component of freeware or shareware programs that are downloaded from
the Internet. Once installed, spyware monitors your activity on the
Internet and transmits that information in the background to someone
else. Spyware can also gather information about e-mail addresses,
passwords and credit card numbers. |
| |
| Virus |
| Viruses
are software programs that are deliberately designed to damage files
or interfere with your computer's operation while it spreads
throughout your computer. |