Download drive - the usual name given to the floppy disk drive on a personal

A
A: drive - the usual name given to the floppy disk drive on a personal computer (PC).
Acceptable use policy - a written agreement that sets out how employees are allowed
to use the Internet. The policy should also specifically set out prohibited uses for the
Internet, rules of online behavior and access privileges. The agreement should be
signed by employees.
Access control - a way of controlling who has access to equipment, data, information,
systems or applications. This can include physical controls, such as locks on doors,
PIN entry systems, turnstiles and window bars, as well as logical controls such as user
names, passwords and file permissions for access to computer systems and networks.
ADSL - asymmetric digital subscriber line - an always-on technology for transmitting
digital information at high bandwidths using existing phone lines. It is asymmetric
because it can receive information faster than it sends it - on the basis that most users
download more information than they upload.
Affiliates - a partnership between a host site and other websites where the affiliate
sites assist the host site by promoting it and helping it to sell products. The host site
pays commission on the traffic it receives from links placed on the affiliate sites.
Always-on - always-on technologies such as broadband can receive data constantly,
rather than having to use a modem to dial up each time access is required. This kind
of access is paid for on a rental or leased-line basis, rather than according to the
amount of time spent using the connection.
Anti-virus software - software that scans emails, attachments and disks for malicious
viruses and worms, and removes them or prevents them entering your computer
system. Because of the rate at which new viruses emerge you should select software
that is capable of being updated on a regular basis, usually by means of a download
from the manufacturer's website. See virus.
Applet - a small application, written in the programming language Java, that is
intended for use within a web browser and cannot be run as a stand alone application.
Typically an applet extends the capabilities of the browser by providing interactive
animations or other simple tasks. See also hostile applet.
Application - or application program - a program designed to perform a specific
function directly for the user. Examples of applications include word processors,
database programs and spreadsheet programs.
ASP - application service provider - an ASP builds, hosts, runs and sells access to
applications over the Internet. This allows individuals and companies to outsource
various functions by leasing or renting applications and software.
Attachment - a file attached to an email that may contain text, spreadsheets, audio
data, pictures, animated graphics and video. The use of email attachments is a
favoured method of maliciously spreading viruses, so good security policies should
warn employees against opening attachments to unexpected mail items.
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Audit trail - provides a date and time stamped record of the usage of a system. It
records what a computer was used for, allowing a security manager to monitor the
actions of every user. Audit trails can help to establish an alleged fraud or security
violation.
Authentication - the process of accepting a user's claimed identity (their username)
and verifying they are actually that user.
B
B2B - business to business - a term that describes businesses that sell direct to other
businesses. This kind of terminology encompasses a whole range of acronyms where
B=business, C=consumer, E=employee, G=government, and P=person/peer.
Backdoor Trojan - a Trojan Horse program that provides a remote user or hacker
with the means to bypass the normal access control of a computer, giving them
unauthorised control over it. Once the computer is online, the person who sent the
Trojan can run programs on the infected computer, access personal files, modify and
upload files, and send out spam mail.
Backup - the essential job of saving and storing data on a tape or other storage device,
such as a CD-Rom, outside of a computer hard disk or network. This is done to
protect against the possibility of the original data being lost or corrupted and should
be undertaken on a regular basis.
Balanced scorecard - a method of analysing your business' overall performance.
Balanced scorecards measure performance in four areas: learning and growth,
business process, customer satisfaction and financial performance. Balanced
scorecards show how these areas are interlinked.
Bandwidth - the capacity of data that a line or channel can carry in a given amount of
time. Digital bandwidth is measured in bps - or bits per second. The bandwidth of
your Internet connection will have a significant impact upon your download times.
For example a typical webpage will take approximately 14 seconds to download using
a standard 56kbps modem, compared with 3 seconds for a 256kbps broadband
connection.
Banner - space on a webpage used for advertisements by a third party. The majority
are clickable - by clicking on them you are taken through to the advertiser's site.
Baseline security - method of selecting security measures for implementation within
a business, based upon measures used in similar businesses that are generally
accepted to be well run.
Biometrics - the measurement and analysis of physical characteristics to verify a
person's identity. For example, fingerprint scanning, voice recognition, retina or iris
scanning. This analysis is carried out as part of an authentication process and could
play an increasing role in e-business security.
Bluetooth - a method (protocol) of connecting mobile electronic devices that uses
radio waves without the need of cables. At present the maximum reach between
devices is about 10 metres.
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Boolean search - a formal way of searching for information in an archive or
document, connecting search terms with "Boolean operators" such as AND, OR and
NOT. This is similar to, but more formal than, search facilities often provided by
search engines.
BPS - bits per second - the unit used to measure the speed of data transfer. It is often
normally expressed in thousands, kbps, or millions, mbps.
Broadband - any system of connection to the Internet that is characterised as
high-speed - ie can carry data at speeds of more than 128kbps.
Browser - software that enables users to search and view information on the Internet.
Bug - a mistake in a computer program that results in the program or system not
working correctly. Later versions of the program typically contain corrections or
fixes.
Business continuity planning - prepared (and tested) measures for protection of
critical business operations from the effects of a loss, damage or other failure of
operational facilities, that provide crucial functions (eg programs and data). In terms
of information security, this comprises backups and archiving, stand-in hardware etc.
C
C: drive - the usual name given to the main hard disk drive in a PC. If the PC has
several hard drives fitted it may have D: and E: drives too.
CD-Rom - compact disk read-only memory - capable of storing up to 650MB, or
megabytes, of data. The CD-Rom has become popular as the preferred medium for
the distribution of software and the installation of computer programs.
Certification Authority - a trusted entity that confirms that the private key received
as part of a digital signature does belong to the person who is claiming to have signed
it.
CMS - content management system - a system used to manage the content of a
website or intranet. Typically a CMS allows staff to amend and add information and
content to a website using a set of templates without the need for specialist knowledge
of HTML or other web authoring software.
Click and mortar - used to describe companies that do business in both the online
and the real world. The "click" element is used to describe the web browsing activity
and "mortar" used to indicate their involvement in traditional business.
Click streams - the click sequence or path that a user takes as they move between
webpages. Software is available that is capable of tracking users' click streams. The
resultant data can be used by website owners or designers to identify visitors'
preferences and interests and help in planning future developments.
Client-server - a network that has a powerful central computer - the server or file
server, which acts as a data store and controls resources that can be accessed by a
string of desktop PCs or workstations commonly referred to as clients.
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Compression - a method by which data of any type is scaled down in size so that it
uses less space for storage and needs a narrower bandwidth for transmission. Data
compression techniques have become increasingly important as the size of files,
particularly those containing image and video data, have become significantly larger.
Contact management software - software that compiles all of your information on
contact names, dates, places and times, and how they relate to staff, customers,
meetings, deliveries and sales in an accessible and practical way.
Cookie - a file downloaded from a web server to the PC of a visitor to a website. This
can be retrieved by the server when the website is subsequently revisited. The file
contains details on the user's preferences and information on previous visits, all of
which can be used to personalise the content for returning visitors.
CPU - central processing unit - the electronic chip at the heart of your computer.
CRM - customer relationship management - the process of targeting, acquiring,
transacting, servicing, retaining and building long-term relationships with customers.
CRM strategies involve improving the people, processes and technology associated
with marketing, sales and services in order to increase customer satisfaction.
Cryptography - the study and practice of scrambling information in a way that
makes it difficult to unscramble, and makes scrambled information intelligible. It is
used as the basis for much computer security as it can keep information confidential,
and can also preserve the integrity of data, particularly when being stored or
transmitted.
D
Data warehouse - a database with reporting and query tools that stores large amounts
of information extracted from a business' various operational systems and organises
this information in a way that helps in management reporting, analysis and
decision-making within the business.
Digital rights management - software-based technologies aimed at protecting the
copyright of data available via the Internet, by enabling secure distribution and/or
disabling illegal distribution of the data. Digital rights management protects
intellectual property by either encrypting the data so that it can only be accessed by
authorised users or marking the content with a digital watermark, or similar method,
so that the content cannot be freely distributed.
Digital signature - the process of adding an electronic marker to the information to
validate both the content and the originator of the data. Digital signatures are easily
transportable, cannot be imitated by someone else, and can be automatically
time-stamped. The ability to ensure that the original signed message arrived means
that the sender cannot easily refuse to accept it later. A digital signature can be used
with any kind of message, whether it is encrypted or not, simply so that the receiver
can be sure of the sender's identity.
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DMZ - demilitarised zone - an area that exists between "trusted" and "untrusted"
networks to provide additional levels of security while enabling external access to
information. Typically this involves putting a firewall behind the servers that require
expanded Internet access, so that if they are breached the remainder of the internal
networks are still protected.
Domain name - the unique name that identifies a website, and is also used to describe
the name to the right of the @ sign in an email address, eg
[email protected] and www.businesslink.gov.uk.
DNS - domain name system - the mechanism used to convert a website domain name
to the unique IP address of the server it is housed on. This allows users to locate a
remote server by its name, which is easier to remember than its somewhat obscure IP
address that is made up of digits. You will often see the IP address displayed by your
browser when you are connecting to a particular website.
DVD - digital versatile disk - similar to CD-Roms but with a much greater capacity
and faster access time making them ideal for digital video.
E
E-business - the conduct of business on the Internet. It includes promotion and
marketing, buying and selling goods and services, collaborative design, managing
relationships with trading partners and online recruitment. It also applies to internal
processes, such as the integration of office systems or HR management.
E-commerce - the buying and selling of goods and services over the Internet.
E-government - the provision of government services over the Internet.
EDI - electronic data interchange - used to electronically transfer structured business
data (such as orders and invoices) by agreed message standards, from one trading
partner to another. Standards were agreed before Internet activities were established in
a business context and so formed the forerunner of much of today's business to
business e-commerce.
Email - a written message sent electronically between two or more computers. Emails
can also contain documents, images, video clips or music.
E-marketing - using digital technologies such as the Internet, email and mobile
phones to market your business.
Encryption - scrambling information to prevent unauthorised disclosure or
modification using mathematical techniques. Techniques normally use an encryption
algorithm with a key to ensure that only the intended recipient can read the
information. Encryption can be either:
•
•
symmetric - where the same key is used to encrypt and decrypt
asymmetric - where two mathematically related keys are used, one (the public
key) to encrypt, and the other (the private key) to decrypt
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E-procurement - using Internet technologies to help find and buy new services from using email to place orders, to taking part in Internet auctions and marketplaces.
ERP - enterprise resource planning - this is a software system that handles all of a
business' departments and functions in one seamless process. It will typically
incorporate fully integrated packaged software applications, including product
planning, purchasing parts, maintaining inventories, interacting with suppliers,
providing customer service, and tracking orders.
E-tail - the sale of products and services on the Internet, ordinarily used to refer to the
sale of consumer goods.
Ethernet - a local area network protocol supporting the connection of devices such as
computers, printers, workstations, terminals and servers within the same office or
building.
Exchanges - term used in the business to business environment to describe a
website-based service that enables suppliers, buyers and intermediaries to come
together and offer products or services to each other according to set criteria. A third
party usually operates the exchange, stipulating what these criteria are and charging a
fee for sales made.
Executable file - a file that contains a program which will run when the file is opened.
Of particular concern in the email environment are .exe and .com files which, when
opened, cause the operating system to run the attached program. Users who receive
such files as email attachments should always be sure that they come from a trusted
source, since they are often used as a means of transmitting computer viruses.
Extranet - a restricted-access website, accessible to selected external partners (such
as trading partners) for exchanging data and applications and sharing specific business
information. The users of the extranet are a well defined group and access should be
protected by rigorous security features.
F
Firewall - a hardware or software security device that blocks unwanted data and
traffic to a computer network based on set security guidelines. It controls access to the
Internet by internal users and prevents outside parties gaining access to systems and
information on the internal network.
FireWire - based on the IEEE 1394 standard for connecting high-speed external
devices to a computer, such as video and audio-editing devices. It is a complementary
technology to Universal Serial Bus, but with a higher bandwidth.
Flash - a software product that allows users to produce websites with high quality
animation, graphics and interactivity. Most browsers support Flash but a Flash plug-in
can be downloaded free of charge.
G
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Gateway - a bridge between two networks, often another name for a firewall or
application proxy.
H
Hacker - a person who attempts to gain unauthorised access to your computers,
usually for the purposes of stealing, deleting or altering information on your system.
Hard disk - a disk that is the main storage unit of a computer and is used to store its
permanent memory even when the computer itself is switched off.
Home page - the main page of a website from which most areas of the site are
accessible. It is usually the first page of the site that the user comes to.
Host - a computer that houses, serves and maintains files for a website. A critical
element in any hosting solution is a fast connection to the Internet.
Hostile applet - an applet that can be embedded in any HTML file such as a web
page, and which is designed to be malicious or cause damage when it is downloaded
onto your IT system.
Hotspot - any location where Wi-Fi network access (usually Internet access) is made
publicly available. Hotspots can often be found in airports, hotels, coffee shops, and
other places where business people tend to congregate. They enable a user with a
laptop equipped for Wi-Fi to contact a local hotspot and get connected through its
network to reach the Internet. If required, a user can access their own business
remotely with a secure connection.
HTML - hypertext mark-up language - is the authoring software language used on the
Internet for the creation of webpages. It uses a set of markup symbols or codes that
tell the web browser how to display a webpage's words and images for the user. Each
individual markup code is commonly referred to as a tag.
HTTP - hypertext transfer protocol - HTTP is the standard way of transferring
information across the Internet and the world wide web. It supports a variety of
different media and file formats, across a variety of platforms, and is invisible to the
user.
Hub - the central point of a network where circuits are connected, with data arriving
from one or more directions then being forwarded out in one or more directions.
Network hubs act as junction boxes, permitting new computers to be connected to the
network as easily as plugging a power cord into an electrical socket.
Hyperlink - a link on which a user can click in order to access related information on
the same webpage, different pages within the same website, or to a different site
altogether, making navigation much easier. The hyperlink is normally indicated by
underlined or coloured text.
I
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Imaging - a technique for taking an exact copy of storage media such as a hard drive.
In addition to data files, imaging applies to systems areas, errors and hidden files. It is
often used as a means to preserve digital forensic evidence. Imaging is normally
performed using specialist equipment and software.
Infrared - method of exchanging information between enabled devices such as
mobiles phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) without the need for cables.
Internet - a global network of computers with users all over the world. Anyone can
join this network and from your computer you can send and receive information
anywhere in the world 24 hours a day.
Interstitial - this is an advertisement that appears in a separate browser window while
you wait for a webpage to load. Interstitials typically contain large graphics and
streaming presentations.
Intranet - a privately maintained computer network, using the same browser
technology and network protocols as the Internet, that can be accessed only by
authorised users, typically employees of the organisation that owns it.
Intrusion detection - detection of break-ins or attempted break-ins by manual means
or by software expert systems operating on the basis of log files or other information
available on the network. An Intrusion Detection System (IDS) effectively acts a
"burglar alarm" for a network or a system. Additionally, it can monitor and log
forensic evidence to support any legal case.
IPsec - Internet protocol security - a protocol that provides encryption, and
authenticates the sender of the information. IPsec is most commonly used in the
implementation of VPNs (virtual private networks) and for remote user access
through dial-up connection to private networks.
ISDN - integrated services digital network - a set of international standards for a high
speed digital network used for transmitting digital voice and data over telephone lines
at speeds up to 128kbps.
ISP - Internet service provider - a company that provides its customers with access to
the Internet. Some ISPs also offer a number of email addresses and web space on
which customers can house their own websites.
J
JPEG - an internationally agreed standard for the compression and decompression of
still images, such as photographs. The compression rates used do not compromise the
quality of the image and their fast transfer rate and high quality make them ideal for
use on the Internet. JPEGs can be recognised by the file extensions .jpg and .jpeg.
K
Knowledge management - the technologies involved in gathering, organising,
sharing and using the knowledge within a company. This knowledge can be structured
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information held in systems and files, or pointers to the skills and experience that
employees possess.
L
LAN - local area network - a communications network that links together computers
that are close to each other, for example in the same office or floor of a building. This
enables them to share facilities such as printers, exchange files or access the Internet
through a single connection.
Location aware services - the use of positioning technologies to enable content and
other service providers to exploit knowledge of the geographical location of the user
of a mobile device. They can then offer a range of customised information relating to
the location of the user.
Log file - a file that tracks the access activity for a host computer or server. For
example a log file may contain information about people accessing your website or
attempting to gain access to your corporate network. Log files can be used to gather
information on usage patterns, for troubleshooting purposes, or to spot suspicious
activity.
M
Macro virus - a computer virus that is embedded within word processing documents
or spreadsheets that will activate when the file is opened. The effect can range from
minor inconvenience to substantial corruption, where the data is rendered unusable or
inaccessible.
Malicious code - a term for a virus, hostile applet or code fragment downloaded
from a web server or sent directly from one system to another.
Management information system - a type of computer system used by managers to
support the functions of planning, controlling and decision making by providing
summaries and reports on the business' basic operations. See data warehouse.
MB - megabyte - term used to represent 1,000,000 bytes worth of information or
computer memory.
Metadata - a definition or description of data, in effect "data about data". Metadata is
commonly used in content management systems and data warehouses, with tags or
descriptors added to information to help with its subsequent retrieval.
Mirror sites - websites that are an exact replica of the original site and have been
copied to other servers in order to spread the load on the original server. They can
assist in reducing network traffic, provide improved access to the files held on the
website and speed up the download times for users.
Modem - modulator/demodulator - a device that converts the digital signals from
computers into analogue signals and vice versa, so they can be transmitted over phone
lines.
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Multimedia - applications combining the use of more than one media, such as data,
voice and video.
N
Network - a computer network is used to connect all types of computers and related
things such as terminals, printers and modems. There are local area networks (LANs)
that exist in a limited geographical area such as an office or building, or wide area
networks (WANs) that connect computers over large geographic areas, perhaps even
internationally.
Node - any computer or device connected to a network.
O
Operating system - the software program that manages the basic operations of a
computer system. This includes loading, scheduling, resource allocation, event
processing and termination.
Outsourcing - contracting another company to provide a service or group of services,
rather than doing it in-house.
P
Packet filtering - a type of firewall that, although fast, has little intelligence. This
reduces its effectiveness and flexibility.
Parallel port - the socket on a computer that a printer usually plugs in to.
Password - an easily remembered but hard to guess string of letters and numbers that
you have to enter in order to use a protected resource such as a computer system. In
practice this offers only basic security by itself.
Patch - updated computer code that is published either as part of ongoing
development, or to meet known vulnerabilities and other problems in code. Most
software vendors have sites that provide patches and hot fixes. All systems should be
patched to the level recommended by the vendor as un-patched systems are open to
threats.
PDA - personal digital assistant - a small, handheld computer with, typically, diary
and address book applications and, increasingly, mobile phone connections built-in
(also known as Palmtops).
PDF - portable document format - a type of file created by Adobe Systems that
captures all of the elements of a printed document as an electronic image that can be
viewed, navigated and printed but, importantly, not edited by the end user. These
images can be easily transmitted across the Internet and viewed on any computer that
has Adobe Acrobat Reader software. A proprietary reader is available free of charge
at the Adobe website. PDF files are especially useful for documents such as magazine
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articles or product brochures in which you want to preserve the original graphic
appearance online.
Peer-to-peer - a network in which each computer node has equal abilities. A
computer can serve as both a server and a user, and each computer has access to all
the network's resources on an equal basis.
Penetration testing - the portion of security testing in which the testers attempt to
circumvent the security features of a system. The testers sometimes use system design
and implementation documentation, which may include listings of system source code,
manuals, and circuit diagrams. They can also work under the same constraints applied
to ordinary users. This practice is sometimes called "ethical hacking".
Peripheral - any device that is not part of the main computer but that is situated
relatively close by, for example a printer or scanner.
Phishing - term used to describe the use of bogus e-mails and websites to trick the
user into supplying confidential or personal information such as bank account
numbers, PINs or passwords.
PKI - public key infrastructure - the use of public key technology in e-commerce to
help identify people and secure transactions. This uses cryptography to support a
variety of functions, including the ability to confirm the identity of an individual or
company as established by an intermediary (the Certification Authority), and the
ability to prove that a transaction originated with that individual or company, so it
cannot subsequently be denied (often called non-repudiation).
Plug-in - a specialised software program that is used to expand the capability of a
web browser. It is generally used to provide interactivity and functions (such as
moving and animated objects and live audio) that make use of the computer's sound
or video cards.
Portal - a website that acts as a gateway to access the web. Portals offer services
including directories of websites, facilities to search for other sites, news, weather
information, travel news and online shopping. There are also business to business
portals that address specific business groups or communities of users.
Privacy policy - any business engaged in online activities or electronic commerce has
a responsibility to adopt and implement a policy for protecting the privacy of
individually identifiable information. The policy must state clearly what information
is being collected, how that information is to be used, and any possible third party
distribution of that information. It should also incorporate a statement of the business'
commitment to data security. At a minimum, individuals should be given the
opportunity to opt out of any use that is unrelated to the purpose for which the
information was collected.
Processor - the brain of a computer, also known as the central processing unit.
Proxy - a computer (server) that sits between a client application (for example, a web
browser) and a real server. The proxy intercepts all requests to the real server to see if
it can fulfil the requests itself. If not, it forwards the request to the real server.
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Pull technology - type of technology used on the Internet where visitors to websites
search for and request information for subsequent downloading to their computer.
Push technology - technology that enables information to be automatically delivered
from the website to the customer. The information may be customised to the
requirements of individual users and can include new product information or regular
content updates. This contrasts with pull technology where the user initiates the
downloading of content.
R
RAM - random access memory - a computer's main working memory, where the
operating system, applications programs and data in current use are kept. It retains
memory for as long as the computer is running, but loses its data as soon as the
computer is turned off.
Relational database - a database that is organised and accessed according to
relationships between data items. The connections or relations between the different
sets of data mean that if you update one area, other areas are updated too.
Remote access - the connection of a device through communications lines such as
phone lines, wide area networks (WANs) or virtual private networks (VPNs) in order
to access applications and information hosted elsewhere.
RFID - radio frequency identification - technology that enables the tracking of goods
and assets, particularly in the retail supply chain. It is increasingly used as an
alternative to the bar code, with major retailers using RFID tags for the pallets and
cases they distribute. The data held on the tag can be transmitted wirelessly to a
receiver via radio waves enabling its identity, position and state to be established.
Risk management - planning and taking preventative action to minimise any risks to
a business and its efficiency, profitability and overall performance.
Router - a communications device that connects two networks, for example a local
area network to the Internet. A router sends its traffic by reading the destination
addresses of the blocks of data (packets) and deciding on the best route to send them
so that they arrive at the correct network address.
S
Satellite - an alternative way of achieving a broadband connection where the
conventional broadband Internet access via telephone lines is not available, for
example in rural or isolated areas. It requires the installation of a special satellite dish.
Scalability - the ability to expand the number of users or increase the capabilities of a
computing solution, without making major changes to the systems or application
software. Essential to prevent a technology solution from being a stumbling block to
organisational growth.
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Scanner - a device that captures images from photographic prints, magazine pages,
and similar sources for subsequent storage, editing and modification. Scanners come
in hand-held, feed-in, and flatbed types.
SCM - supply chain management - managing your supply chain involves focusing on
how materials, information and finance move along the chain, and making these flows
as seamless and efficient as possible.
Search engine - a tool that creates indices of websites, usually based upon their
content and key words. The search engine has an interface that allows the user to key
in specific search terms and then presents them with a list of those web addresses that
meet the specified requirement. The list is presented in hypertext form which means
that the user can click on any item in the list and go directly to that website.
Serial port - a socket on a computer that is used for serial communication (one bit at
a time) between a computer and another device. The serial port is normally used for
the connection of a modem.
Server - a powerful computer on a network that acts as a store for data and software.
It also controls access to workstations, printers and other parts of the network.
Site analysis tool - a piece of software that enables the owner of a website to measure
the usage patterns of the site by monitoring the activity of its visitors.
SLA - service level agreement - A contract between a service provider and a customer
that specifies, in measurable terms, what services the provider will deliver to the
customer. Typically used by commercial service providers such as ISPs and
outsourcing companies. The agreement is likely to include the percentage of time that
a specified service should be available (the up-time), performance benchmarks against
which actual system performance can be measured, and the expected response times
for dealing with a variety of technical issues and problems.
Smart Card - a card with an embedded chip used for a variety of purposes such as
proving the user is valid (authentication). It does this by storing authentication
credentials and submitting them, or by actually performing an operation on the card
itself (using a specific key), to demonstrate the validity of the user.
Sniffer - a program that monitors data travelling over a network. While it can be used
as a legitimate network management tool to detect bottlenecks and problems, it can
also be used for illicit purposes as it may provide a hacker with the ability to read the
data in a packet as well as the source and destination addresses.
Spam - unsolicited emails sent to large numbers of recipients.
Specification - a formal statement of what a computer program or system must do.
Spoofing - a term used to describe an online imposter who is pretending to be
someone or something they are not. The most common form of spoofing is the
forging of an email header so that the message appears to have come from someone
other than the actual source. This approach is frequently used by distributors of spam.
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SSL - secure sockets layer - a network protocol that provides security to web-based
network traffic via authentication, encryption and message integrity services. It is
used in e-commerce to prevent hackers from stealing sensitive information contained
in electronic transactions.
Supply chain - the chain of relationships between your business and your customers
and suppliers, and the links and processes that join you together.
T
Teleworking - a type of working that relies on IT to allow people to operate from
remote locations such as their homes or "telecottages" and communicate
electronically with their corporate systems and colleagues.
Trojan Horse - a program that causes unexpected and undesirable effects when
installed or run by an unsuspecting user. These effects may be immediate or they may
wait for some predetermined time or condition before they are triggered.
U
URL - uniform resource locator - a standard form for addresses on the Internet. A
URL can lead you to a file on any computer connected to the Internet anywhere in the
world. Usually this is a page of a website (frequently the home page) but it can also be
a downloadable file or an audio or video stream.
USB - universal serial bus - this is fast becoming the usual way to plug additional
devices such as printers and cameras into a PC. USB is cabled in a daisy-chain
fashion and up to 127 devices can be supported from a single USB connection.
User acceptance testing - a phase of software development in which the software is
tested in the "real world". It can be undertaken in-house but increasingly the test
version is made available for downloading and free trial over the web. User comments
are fed back to the developers who make final changes before releasing the software
commercially.
User ID - a unique name assigned to each user of a computer system in conjunction
with a secret password. One of the key enablers of security is accountability - any
action can be attributed to a specific user ID. This means that user IDs should never
be shared and that you should never give your password to anyone else.
V
Virus - a malicious computer program that can cause damage to systems and
potential corruption or destruction of information. These can be contracted through
loading software, opening attachments in unchecked emails and downloading
programs or documents from websites. You should always use up-to-date anti-virus
software to detect viruses, prevent access to infected files and help eliminate the
infection. See worm.
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Virtual team working - using communications technologies to work collaboratively,
no matter where team members are based.
VoIP - Voice over Internet Protocol - uses the Internet to make phone calls across
computer networks. It allows you to integrate call handling and reporting with other
business processes, and can be used in individual office networks or between sites.
VPN - virtual private network - a VPN is a private data network that makes use of a
public network such as the Internet. VPNs maintain privacy through the use of
tunnelling protocol (which provides a secure point-to-point "tunnel" for data transfer)
and other security procedures, particularly data encryption. They are a significantly
cheaper option than a dedicated private network.
W
WAN - wide area network - a network that spans a large geographical distance.
Increasingly it may be made up of cable, satellite and microwave technologies.
WAP - wireless application protocol - a carrier-independent, transaction-oriented
protocol for wireless data networks that allows Internet access over wireless devices
such as mobile phones.
War driving - the practice of driving around a city searching for unsecured wireless
local area network (WLAN) signals within a geographic area. Because a WLAN can
have a range that extends beyond an office building, a hacker may be able to gain
access to the network and subsequently obtain a free Internet connection or attempt to
gain access to corporate records and other information.
Web server - a specific type of server that contains pages, images and files, which are
accessed and displayed by a browser. Each page can contain links to other pages,
which a user clicks on to move from one page to another.
Web Services - a standards-based initiative (primarily using XML) that aims to bring
together existing protocols and standards and tie them together in a way that allows
the delivery of components using the Internet as the backbone method of delivery.
Wi-Fi - wireless fidelity - a high frequency, wireless, local area network (LAN) that
operates over a short distance.
Wireless LAN - wireless local area network - a local network that allows devices to
connect to each other using radio wave technology rather than conventional cabling or
fibre optics.
Website - a collection of webpages in a specific location on the Internet, on a
particular subject, beginning with a home page.
Workflow - describes the analysis of tasks, procedures, sequences of steps and
required information that should be undertaken to support a business process.
Workflow software can be used to automate the business procedures by ensuring that
the correct steps are followed and providing the correct forms and information to
support the individual tasks.
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World wide web - commonly referred to as the web, it is the HTTP server network
that can combine text, graphics, audio and other formats in one document and make
them available to anyone in the world via the Internet. The web uses hypertext and
multimedia techniques to make it easy for anyone to roam and view documents using
a browser.
Worm - similar to viruses but they do not need a carrier program or document. They
typically spread themselves without any action by a computer user. Worms simply
create exact copies of themselves and travel between connected computers by
exploiting security "holes" in the computer's operating system. As the worm spreads,
it can create a lot of traffic on the Internet, slow down communications or cause
computers to crash. A worm may carry a virus, but it more commonly causes
computer tasks to slow down or completely halt. See virus.
XYZ
XML - extensible markup language - used extensively in e-commerce, XML is a
standard for data formats that is designed to enable different computer programs,
including business software packages, to share and process data. XML uses a tag
system that allows companies or trading communities wishing to exchange business
information, to agree upon a standard or common way to describe, for example,
individual products and elements. This exchange of information can then take place
irrespective of the different software or hardware platforms that may be in place.
From: http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/
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