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Backdoor programs and root kits

Are programs ( or sets of programs) that allow hackers to gain access to your computer and take almost complete control of it without your knowledge

Exploit kits

Are software programs that run on servers and search for vulerabilities of computers that visit the server

Logical ports

Are virtual--that is, not physical--communications paths

Zombie

Computer that a hacker controls in this manner

Denial-of-service (DoS) attack

Legitimate users are denied access to a computer system because a hacker is repeatedly making requests of that computer system through a computer he or she has taken over a zombie

Botnet

A large group of software programs (called robots or bots) that runs autonomously on zombie computers

Packet analyzer (sniffer)

A program deployed by hackers that examines each packet and can read its contents

Trojan Horse

A program that appears to be something useful or desirable, like a game or a screen saver, but while it runs it does something malicious in the background without your knowledge

Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack

Which launches DoS attacks from more than one zombies (sometimes thousands of zombies) at the same time

White-hat hackers (Ethical Hackers)

break in to systems for non-malicious reasons, such as to test system security vulnerabilities or to expose undisclosed weaknesses They believe in making security vulnerabilities known either to the company that owns the system or software or to the general public, often to embarrass a company into fixing a problem

Black-hat hackers

break into systems to destroy information or for illegal gain The terms white hat and black hat are references to old Western movies in which the heroes wore white hats and the outlaws wore black hats

Hacker

most commonly defined as anyone who unlawfully breaks into a computer system-- either an individual computer or a network

Identity Theft

occurs when a thief steals personal information such as your name, address, Social Security number, birth date, bank account number, and credit card information and pose as you in financial or legal transactions

Cybercrime

any crime action perpetrated primarily through the use of a computer

Grey-hat hackers

are a bit of a cross between black and white--they often illegally break into systems merely to flaunt their expertise to the administrator of the system they penetrated or attempt to sell their services in repairing security breaches