The terms in this glossary relate to different aspects of computer security, data privacy, and online safety. It’s important to understand these concepts to protect yourself and your personal information while using the internet.
Ad blocker ๐ก๏ธ: A tool that prevents advertisements from appearing on websites or in apps. ๐บ๐ซ
Example: I installed an ad blocker on my browser to avoid being interrupted by annoying pop-up ads.
Baiting ๐ฌ: A tactic used by hackers to lure people into giving away their personal information. ๐ฃ๐
Example: The hacker used baiting tactics by sending an email with a fake link to a website that looked like my bank’s website, asking me to enter my login details.
Cookies ๐ช: Small pieces of data that are stored on a userโs computer to track their online activity. ๐๐ช
Example: The website uses cookies to remember my login details and preferences.
Copyright laws ยฉ๏ธ: Legal rules that protect the rights of creators of original works. ๐๐จโ๐จ
Example: The author’s book is protected by copyright laws, so nobody can publish or distribute it without permission.
Cyber attack ๐ป: An attempt to gain unauthorized access to a computer system or network. ๐จ๐ป
Example: The company’s server was under a cyber attack by hackers trying to steal customer data.
Cyberstalking ๐ต๏ธโโ๏ธ: When someone uses the internet to follow or harass another person repeatedly. ๐๐ฑ
Example: The victim reported to the police that someone was cyberstalking her by sending her threatening messages and following her on social media.
Data breach ๐: When personal or sensitive information is accessed or stolen by someone who shouldnโt have access to it. ๐จ๐
Example: The company’s database was hacked, resulting in a data breach that exposed customers’ personal information.
Data mining โ๏ธ: Collecting and analyzing large amounts of data to find patterns or relationships. ๐โ๏ธ
Example: The data mining process helped the company identify customer preferences and improve their marketing strategy.
Data permanence ๐: The fact that data can remain on the internet forever, even if the user tries to delete it. ๐ป๐ฐ๏ธ
Example: Even though I deleted my social media account, some of my posts are still visible due to data permanence.
Data privacy ๐: The right to keep personal information private and secure. ๐๐ค
Example: The company ensures data privacy by encrypting and securely storing customers’ personal information.
Data security ๐: The measures taken to protect data from unauthorized access or theft. ๐๐จ
Example: The company implemented strict data security measures to prevent cyber attacks and data breaches.
Deepfake ๐คณ: A video or image that has been manipulated to show something that never actually happened. ๐ฅ๐จโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ฆ
Example: The deepfake video made it seem like the politician said something controversial, but it was actually fake.
Digital content ๐ป: Any type of media that is created and shared digitally, such as videos, music, and images. ๐น๐ต๐ท
Example: The digital content on the website includes videos, podcasts, and images.
Digital footprint ๐พ: The information that is left behind by a userโs online activity. ๐ฃ๐ป
Example: Your digital footprint includes your social media activity, online purchases, and search history.
Digital identity ๐ค: The collection of personal information and online activity that is associated with a specific user. ๐๐ป
Example: Your digital identity includes your name, address, phone number, and email address, as well as your online activity.
Encryption ๐: A technique used to protect data by making it unreadable to anyone who doesnโt have the key to unlock it. ๐๐
ย ย ย ย Example: The company uses encryption to protect their sensitive data from unauthorized access or theft.
End-user agreement ๐: A legal document that outlines the terms and conditions of using a specific software or service. ๐๐ค
ย ย ย ย Example: I read and agreed to the end-user agreement before downloading the software to ensure I understand the terms and conditions.
Fraud ๐ต๏ธโโ๏ธ: A deliberate attempt to deceive someone for personal gain. ๐๐ฐ
ย ย ย ย Example: The email claiming that I won a lottery was a fraud, attempting to trick me into providing my bank details.
Firewall ๐ช: A program or device that blocks unauthorized access to a computer or network. ๐ก๏ธ๐ฅ
ย ย ย ย Example: The company’s firewall blocks incoming traffic from unauthorized sources, preventing cyber attacks.
Hacking ๐ค: The act of gaining unauthorized access to a computer system or network. ๐จโ๐ป๐ซ
ย ย ย ย Example: The hacker gained access to the company’s database by hacking into their network.
Hoax (e.g., fake news) ๐ โโ๏ธ: False information that is spread intentionally to deceive people. ๐ฐ๐คฅ
ย ย ย ย Example: The news article claiming that a celebrity had died was a hoax, attempting to get clicks and views.
Identify theft ๐ฅ: When someone steals another personโs personal information for fraudulent purposes. ๐ฅ๐ณ
ย ย ย ย Example: The thief used my stolen identity to open credit card accounts and make fraudulent purchases.
Impersonation ๐ญ: Pretending to be someone else online to deceive others. ๐ฅ๐ญ
ย ย ย ย Example: The scammer impersonated a bank employee to trick me into providing my login details.
Network traffic ๐: The flow of data between devices on a network. ๐๐ป
ย ย ย ย Example: The network traffic increased during peak hours, causing slow internet speed.
Online wallet ๐ฐ: A digital storage space for storing cryptocurrency. ๐๐ฐ
ย ย ย ย Example: I use an online wallet to store my cryptocurrency securely and make transactions.
Password ๐: A secret combination of letters, numbers, and symbols used to access a computer system or network. ๐๐
ย ย ย ย Example: I created a strong password by using a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
Password manager ๐๏ธ: A tool that helps users store and manage their passwords securely. ๐๐
ย ย ย ย Example: I use a password manager to securely store and manage my numerous passwords.
Phishing ๐ฃ: A method used by hackers to get personal information from people by pretending to be a trustworthy entity or person. ๐ฃ๐
ย ย ย ย Example: The phishing email pretending to be my bank asked me to provide my login details, but it was a scam.
Portability ๐ฆ: The ability to move data and applications between different devices and systems securely. ๐ฆ๐ป
ย ย ย ย Example: The cloud technology allows for data portability, enabling users to access their data from any device.
Privacy-focused browser ๐: A web browser that is designed to protect the userโs privacy and security. ๐๐
ย ย ย ย Example: I use a privacy-focused browser to protect my online privacy and prevent tracking.
Privacy settings ๐: The controls that allow users to manage how their personal information is shared and used online. ๐๐
ย ย ย ย Example: I adjusted my privacy settings on social media to control who can see my posts and personal information.
Ransomware ๐ฐ: Malware that encrypts a userโs files and demands payment in exchange for unlocking them. ๐ป๐
ย ย ย ย Example: The company’s computer system was infected with ransomware, which encrypted their files and demanded payment to unlock them.
Scalability ๐: The ability of a system to handle increasing amounts of data or traffic without compromising security. ๐๐
ย ย ย ย Example: The company’s scalable cloud infrastructure allows them to handle increasing amounts of traffic without compromising security.
Security ๐: The measures taken to protect computer systems and networks from unauthorized access, theft, or damage. ๐๐จ
ย ย ย ย Example: The company’s security measures include firewalls, antivirus software, and regular data backups to protect against cyber attacks and data breaches.
Social engineering ๐งโโ๏ธ: A way of manipulating people into giving away sensitive information or doing something they wouldnโt normally do. ๐คซ๐ฅ
ย ย ย ย Example: The social engineering tactic used by the scammer involved pretending to be a friend in need to trick me into sending money.
Spoofing ๐ญ: Pretending to be someone else online to deceive others. ๐ค๐ญ
ย ย ย ย Example: The email pretending to be from a reputable company was a spoofing attempt, attempting to trick me into providing personal information.
Terms of service ๐: The legal agreement between a user and a service provider that outlines the terms and conditions of using the service. ๐๐ค
ย ย ย ย Example: The terms of service for the online shopping platform include rules for payments, shipping, and returns.
Third party ๐ฅ: A person or organization that is not directly involved in a transaction or agreement. ๐ค๐ฅ
ย ย ย ย Example: The company’s customer data was leaked to a third party, who was not authorized to access it.
Tracking ๐: The practice of monitoring a userโs online activity. ๐ฅ๐
ย ย ย ย Example: The website uses tracking cookies to monitor my online activity and show me personalized ads.
Two-factor authentication ๐: A security measure that requires two forms of identification to access a computer system or network. ๐๐
ย ย ย ย Example: The company’s two-factor authentication process includes a password and a verification code sent to my phone to ensure secure access.
Usability ๐ค: The ease with which a computer system or network can be used securely and efficiently by its intended users. ๐๐ค
ย ย ย ย Example: The company’s user-friendly and secure software ensures high usability and productivity.
Virtual private network (VPN) ๐: A tool that creates a secure, encrypted connection between a userโs computer and a private network, allowing the user to access the internet securely and privately. ๐๐ป
ย ย ย ย Example: I use a VPN to access my company’s private network securely and protect my online privacy.
WiFi packet sniffing ๐ก: The practice of intercepting and analyzing data packets sent over a wireless network. ๐ถ๐
ย ย ย ย Example: The hacker used WiFi packet sniffing to intercept and steal sensitive information sent over the company’s wireless network.