spyware insidious software that is often unwittingly downloaded onto one's PC and can secretly steal and report e-mail dialogue, instant messages, and monitor Web sites visited to another party. Also known as scumware, snoopware.
streaming the transmission of compressed video and audio signals from a Web site to a remote receiver.
surf to explore various sites on the Internet, for fun or for research purposes.
swarming the sharing by multiple users of small pieces of movie or game files, which speeds up downloading and prevents leeching.
TCP/IP the standard communications protocol of the Internet.
telnet a communications protocol used to connect computers throughout the Internet.
thread in a newsgroup or other forum, a series of posts or messages on the same topic, actually a string of replies and counter-replies to an opening question or comment.
thumbnail a miniaturized picture clicked on to display a larger version.
Trojan horse a program embedded in an e-mail attachment used by hackers to infiltrate another's computer system. The program, also known as a back door program, can be employed to operate another's computer from remote control while its user is logged on to an Internet chat room or game site. Among other things, it can be used to erase hard drives.
troll one who posts controversial or irritating comments in order to produce heated responses from others. Also, the owner or employee of a company who anonymously posts negative comments about a competitor's products in forums and on message boards.
Twitter an online service that offers a social networking and blogging venue through the display of short texts known as tweets on users' profile pages.
upload to send a file from one's own computer to another via the Internet.
uRL uniform resource locator; a Web address beginning with http://.
uSENET a network of discussion groups called newsgroups.
video conferencing an Internet meeting with participants who appear on video.
viral advertising Internet advertising that is presented in a novel or entertaining way to encourage people to get their friends to look at it.
virtual simulated.
vlog a blog presented with video.
VOD video on demand; any service that offers immediate viewing of video or movies over the Internet.
vOIP voice-over-Internet protocol; a set of rules for voice transmission or telephone calls over the Internet. Also, the Internet telephone service itself.
vRML virtual reality modeling language; a graphics systems that can produce three-dimensional effects with changing perspectives and lighting as a user "moves" through an environment, as in a game program.
warez any software or game stripped of its copy- prevention components and illegally traded on file- sharing networks.
Web short for the World Wide Web.
webcam a camera used to send video or pictures over the Internet.
web designer a Web site architect or graphics designer.
Web log see blog.
webmaster a web site manager or administrator. Web page an online file page.
Web ring a group of related Web sites joined together by links.
WebTv an online television service.
wi-fi a system capable of transmitting wireless signals from the Internet.
WiMax a wi-fi system capable of transmitting signals 30 miles.
wireless any wire-free Internet access.
World Wide Web the Internet; collective term for all of the Web pages, links, and sites accessible through cyberspace. Also, the protocols that allow a user to link to all the various sites.
WWW the World Wide Web.
Yahoo! a popular search engine.
Viruses, Parasites, and Other Computer Invaders
antidote any program designed to protect a computer from being infected with a virus.
antivirus any program that identifies, weeds out, or protects a computer from a virus.
back door an opening left intentionally by designers in a computer security system for practical reasons but often exploited by hackers with mischievous or criminal intent. Also known as a wormhole.
data-driven attack a stealthy virus or other form of attack encoded in harmless data in order to fool firewalls.
dictionary attack the attempt to uncover codes, passwords, or e-mail addresses by using exhaustive lists of words or word combinations.
hygiene collective term for measures taken to prevent a computer from being infected with a virus.
impersonating see spoofing.
logic bomb a secretly embedded code in an application or operating system that can be triggered when certain conditions are met to cause damage or breach security.
masquerading see spoofing.
parasite a type of insidious software or program that can be installed on a computer via the Internet without the owner's knowledge. It can be loaded simply by visiting certain Web sites, by clicking on a misleading pop-up ad, or by downloading shareware, music, games, or movie clips. The software, also known as spyware or scumware, can then transmit what one types, including passwords and credit card numbers, and record the sites one visits and any items purchased online. They can also serve up pop-up ads, alter browser settings, divert one's surfing to porn sites, and even steal from the Web sites visited.
polymorphic virus a virus designed to change its binary pattern as it replicates itself in order to elude detection by antivirus programs.
replicator a program that once installed makes copies of itself, as some worms and viruses.
sheepdip to run floppy disks and CD-ROM through antivirus programs on an auxiliary computer to clean them of viruses before they are loaded into a main computer, much like the farming practice of bathing sheep in chemical solutions to rid them of fleas and lice.
sniffing using a computer to monitor someone's network traffic in order to capture data, especially unencrypted passwords.
spoofing stealing identification and authentication data to gain access to a computer network. Also called impersonating, masquerading.
stealth virus a virus designed to hide itself from antivirus software by replacing itself with a copy in another location or file.
strain a virus type.
vaccine any program designed to protect a computer from being infected with a virus.
virus a prank program that disrupts computer operations by erasing, adding, or altering information and by making copies of itself and infecting other programs.
worm a rigged program that makes endless copies of itself and disrupts computer functioning. Similar to a virus.
wormhole see back door.
electronic terms
ampere a measure of electric current, specifically the number of electrons that flow by a given point each second. Also known as an amp.
brownout a drop in the amount of voltage running through a power line. Brownouts are known to cause damage to some electronic equipment.