Glossary of Terms
Spam: The term ‘Spam’ isInternet slang that refers to Unsolicited Commercial Email (UCE) or Unsolicited Bulk Email )UBE). Such mail often contains advertisements for services or products, but very few reputable marketers use UCE to advertise.
The most commonly seen spam includes the following:-
- Phishing scams
- Foreign bank scams or advance fee fraud schemes
- Pyramid schemes, including multilevel marketing (MLM)
- Other ‘Get Rich Quick’ or ‘Make Money Fast’ schemes
- Quack health products and remedies
- Adverts for pornographic web sites
- Chain letters
- Illegally pirated software (Warez)
Phishing: Soliciting confidential information over the internet under false pretenses in order to fraudulently obtain personal data such as credit card numbers, passwords, and addresses.
Spamming: Sending unsolicited, disruptive e-mails, aimed at baiting users to click on links to advertisements of products and service. Often, spam e-mails do not offer any genuine service. Instead, they are set up to defraud users.
Legal Operating System: An operating system, such as Microsoft XP or Vista that has been purchased lawfully. These operating systems allow users to periodically download system updates as they become available.
Illegal Operating System: An operating system, such as Microsoft XP or Vista that has been pirated. These operating systems do not allow users to periodically download system updates, putting the computer under greater threat of infection by viruses or worms.
Virus: Malicious software designed to attach itself to a program. Viruses can be spread from one computer to another by infecting files in a network file-sharing system or through portable device such as USB drives and CDs. Still, viruses cannot be spread without human action (such as running an infected program).
Worm: Similar to a virus but functions differently. Worms can spread from one computer to another without human action. Furthermore, worms can have a larger, more devastating affect than viruses as they can replicate themselves, sending out countless copies of themselves to other computers.
Trojan horse: Is a malicious computer program disguised as a useful program or file, from a legitimate source. The effect of a Trojan horse on you computer can vary greatly. Some may delete files and destroy information on your system, while others may create a backdoor to your computer, allowing unauthorized persons access to confidential and personal information stored on it.
Spyware: A malicious program designed to record and broadcast information about your activity to others. Your computer may not be harmed by spyware the same way a virus or a worm affects it, but will be slowed down by the extra processing it has to do.
Firewall: Is a program used to block unauthorized internet users from accessing private information and networks. Firewall comes as a basic feature on Windows operating systems from XP onward. Firewall applications are available for download online
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