CGS1060 Chapter 5

router

A complex device that stores the routing information for networks. It looks at each packet's header to determine where the packet should go, then determines the best route for the packet to take toward its destination.

network

A connection between computers that allows users to communicate and share information.

node

A connection point within a network.

cyberterrorism

A dangerous form of hacking that seeks to create large-scale chaos and damage to a country's infrastructure.

local area network (LAN)

A data communication system consisting of multiple devices that are relatively near each other and are connected using cables or wireless media.

bridge

A device that connects two LANs or two segments of the same LAN; looks at the information in each packet header and forwards data traveling from one LAN to another.

uninterruptible power supply (UPS)

A device that contains both a surge protector and rechargeable battery, allowing your computer system to run for a limited amount of time during a power failure.

social engineering

A form of hacking that focuses on deceiving individuals into giving away the information that the thief needs.

coaxial cable

A cable that consists of a single copper wire that is surrounded by insulation and a wire mesh shield.

spyware

Malware that reports activity on your computer to another party.

twisted-pair cable

A cable that consists of four pairs of wires that are twisted around each other. Each copper wire is insulated in plastic, and all wires are collectively bound together in a layer of plastic.

data warehouse

A central repository where records from multiple databases are stored.

information system (IS)

A complex system for acquiring, storing, organizing, using, and sharing data and information.

countermeasure

Any step you take to ward off a threat.

scalability

The capacity to provide increasing amounts of computing power, storage, and/or software.

network interface card (NIC)

A computer component that translates and transmits network packets.

rogue hotspot

A wireless access point set up by a hacker in a public area to intercept users' communication.

surge protector

An inexpensive product that guards connected equipment against large power spikes or surges that may infrequently occur.

zombie

An infected and compromised computer that is under the external control of a hacker, usually without the knowledge of the computer's owner.

intranet

An internal version of the Internet containing information that is restricted to a particular company's employees.

redundant

Computers that have multiple hardware systems performing the same task at the same time.

wireless access point (WAP)

Connects single or multiple PCs in the wireless environment.

pretexting

Gaining someone's trust by pretending you are someone else.

hacktivism

Hacking with a social or political agenda.

risk assessment

Identifying and examining possible threats to a computer system.

bandwidth

In networks, it refers to the amount of data that can be transmitted over a given amount of time.

hacker

In the negative sense, this term refers to an individual who uses a computer and/or network to commit a variety of crimes, such as creating viruses and disrupting computer networks.

phishing

Luring individuals into entering personal information into a website controlled by a hacker.

botnet

Massive networks of zombies that can be used by a hacker to spread malware, send spam, and conduct carefully orchestrated network attacks.

packet

Pieces of a message broken down into small units by the sending device and reassembled by the receiving device in a network.

fault-tolerant

Systems that are able to continue their operation even when problems are present.

mission-critical

Systems that must run without failure or with nearly instant recovery from failure.

interoperability

The ability of each organization's information system to work with the other, sharing data and services.

wide area network (WAN)

The connection of two or more central computers or LANs, generally across a wide geographical area.

data mining

The discovery of new patterns or relationships between data.

topology

The logical layout of the cables and devices that connect the nodes of the network.

attenuation

The loss of intensity and clarity of a transmitted data signal.

network media

The means used to link parts of a computer network.

Ethernet

The most common physical standard for local area networks.

Wi-Fi

The most popular standard for wireless networking; also called "802.11".

cybercrime

The use of a computer and/or network to commit a variety of crimes, such as creating viruses or disrupting networks.

malware

A generic term to describe various kinds of malicious programs created to harm a computer or steal valuable information.

fiber-optic cable

A high-speed cable that consists of a thin strand of glass that transmits pulsating beams of light rather than electric current.

tape library

A large storage unit that houses multiple tape drives.

data validation

A method for checking and improving the reliability of data.

distributed denial-of-service (DDoS)

A network attack that attempts to shut down or block access to websites or other network resources by overwhelming them with requests.

switch

A network device that is similar to a hub, but it is aware of the exact address or identity of all the nodes attached to it, thereby increasing the efficiency of the network.

repeater

A network device used to prevent attenuation when packets are traveling long distances.

gateway

A node on a network that serves as an entrance to another network. It helps one network understand the packet headers from another network.

strong password

A password that is difficult for thieves to guess or crack.

wireless adapter

A piece of hardware that is plugged into a desktop computer to gain Wi-Fi access.

Trojan horse

A program that disguises itself as an interesting, useful, or desirable program in order to gain access to your system.

authentication

A security measure used to confirm an individual's identity.

authorization

A security measure used to give individuals a certain level of access based on who they are.

extranet

A service that allows organizations to share some of its intranet resources with people outside the organization.

protocol

A set of rules or standards that must be followed by computers that wish to communicate over a network.

management information system (MIS)

A set of software tools that enables managers to gather, organize, and evaluate information.

decision support system (DSS)

A special application that collects and reports certain types of data, thus helping managers make better decisions.

RAID

A storage system that links any number of disk drives (a disk array) so that they act as a single disk.

virtual private network (VPN)

A type of connection that increases the security of network communication by employing a method called "tunneling", whereby each packet from the sending computer is encapsulated within another packet.

wireless network

A type of connection whereby communication takes place using radio waves.

identity theft

A type of crime in which criminals essentially assume your identity and begin to open new bank accounts under your name.

transaction processing system (TPS)

A type of information system that handles the processing and tracking of transactions.

office automation system

A type of information system that is designed to manage information in an office environment and help users handle certain information-related tasks more efficiently.

expert system

A type of information system that performs analytical tasks traditionally done by a human, using sequences of questions to ask and actions to take based on the responses to those questions.

virus

A type of malware that is attached to a host file and has the ability to replicate, or copy, itself.

worm

A type of malware that self-replicates and spreads through computers and networks without the need to attach to a host file.

scareware

A type of scam whose goal is to scare the user into doing exactly what the thief wants.

vulnerability

A weakness that has not been protected against threats, thereby making it open to harm.

threat

Anything that can cause harm.

hub

A basic network device that provides multiple ports for connecting nodes.