What that cybercrime jargon really means
Cybercrime is all the more frightening for many internet users because they do not understand the cloak and dagger jargon.
Computer experts might as well speak in a foreign language when they talk about hackers and the tools of their trade.
To throw some light into the shadowy world of cybercrime, here are some of the most common jargon terms explained.
Back door
a secret way to access a network, computer or software left by the developer
Biometrics
identifying a technology user by fingerprints, voice or retina
Black hat
a hacker out to damage a network or steal information
Bot
a computer hijacked by a hacker. Bot is short for ‘robot’
Botnet
a group of hijacked computers controlled by a hacker
Countermeasure
any action that increases computer security
Cracker
someone trying to break into software or a computer system
Cryptography
encoding information before sending across a network
Decrypt
decoding encrypted information into understandable text
Distributed denial of service (Ddos)
a network attack by a botnet aimed at stopping a web site from working
Digital signature
an electronic signature
Dumpster diving
looking through rubbish for network access codes or personal information
Exploit
A software or hardware bug that lets hackers into computer
Firewall
software designed to limit access from outside into a private network
Hijacking
taking over a live connection between two users so that the hacker can pose as a genuine user
IP spoofing
when a hacker generates a false IP address to gain access to a network
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