Malware Glossary
Find definitions for terms related to virus and spyware threats.
A
- adware. A program that displays third-party advertisements on your computer. Some adware programs collect information about you to display advertisements based on your browsing patterns.
Top - attackware. Software that intentionally damages other software to, for example, disable or uninstall it.
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B
- backdoor. A nonstandard or secret way to access a system or application. A program that grants access to a system that bypasses established security authentication.
Top - bandwidth. The capacity of a network to carry data, usually measured in bits per second (bps).
Top - bot. Short for robot. A program that runs continuously to automate tasks for its owner.
Top - bot army, bot network. A collection of computers controlled and used by a hacker for malicious purposes. The computers' owners are unaware that their computers are being controlled by another person. See zombie.
Top - broadband. Originally a telephony term that referred to wider bandwidth than a standard telephone line. Recently, it has become a synonym for high bandwidth.
Top - browser hijacker. A program that changes your internet browser homepage or search pages. Often the program prevents you from changing these settings, or changes them back if you modify them.
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C
- checkbox. A common element in computer dialog boxes, used to select or unselect an option. Clicking an empty checkbox checks it; clicking a checked checkbox unchecks it.
Top - configure, configuration. To choose options to create a custom application or system. A configuration is a user's selected options for an application.
Top - cookie. A unique identifier sent to your computer by a web server and stored on your hard drive. The cookie lets the server identify your computer, and in some cases track your browsing habits. Cookies are delivered to your computer when you visit some websites unless you have internet options or cookie blocking software set to prevent this. Cookies can also be useful. When you visit a shopping website, the website's server uses a cookie to connect you to your shopping cart, letting you browse the site to select items to buy. The cookie lets the server know which is the correct cart to add the selected items to.
Top - CPU (Central Processing Unit). The computing part of a computer that controls and performs calculations. Also called the "processor".
Top - cracker. A malicious or criminal hacker. Contrast with hacker.
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D
- denial of service (DoS). A type of attack that can disable computers or networks and prevent legitimate users from using specific computer or network services. Denial of service attacks can flood a computer or network with data (consuming resources), disrupt connections between machines, etc.
Top - dialog box. A movable window displayed onscreen when you select a menu option. It provides the current status and available options for a particular feature in the program.
Top - dialer. A program that uses your modem to phone expensive paid numbers, often to get access to some adult related sites.
Top - dial up. The "traditional" way to establish a telephone connection between your computer and your ISP. The adjective dialup describes this type of connection.
Top - directory, a.k.a. folder. A simulated file folder on your computer's hard drive. Directories create the illusion of compartments, but are actually indexes to the files that may be scattered all over the drive.
Top - directory tree. A graphic representation of a hierarchical directory. Folders are often depicted with icons that resemble physical file folders such as those of a file cabinet. If you imagine the computer's file system as a file cabinet, high-level directories are the equivalent of file drawers, and low-level directories or subdirectories are the equivalent of file folders in the file drawers.
Top - disabled. Turned off. Contrast with enabled.
Top - domain name. The name of a website associated with an organization, such as eAcceleration.com, or with an individual.
Top - double-click. Clicking the left mouse button twice rapidly.
Top - drop-down menu. Also called a "pull-down menu". A common type of menu used by many software programs. A menu title is displayed that, when clicked, displays the menu's options in a list that extends down from the menu name. You select options by highlighting the line in the menu and or by clicking it.
Top - drag and drop. Drag an item by moving your mouse pointer over the item you want to select (the item will be highlighted when selected), holding down your left mouse button and dragging the item to the destination. Drop an item by releasing the left mouse button.
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E
- eAcceleration Membership Service. A comprehensive suite of software tools and services including StopSign Computer Protection Service, MegDat Personal Media Service, kon-X Internet Service, and eAcceleration Select. eAcceleration Membership Service is graphically represented by the geodesic icon.
Top - email bomb. An attack that sends large amounts of email to or though a single site. This can overload network connections, consume available system resources, and fill up disk space. These attacks can result in denial of service. See denial of service.
Top - email spoof. Alteration of the identity of the account sending an email, making it difficult to identify the true sender.
Top - enabled. Turned on. Contrast with disabled.
Top - encryption. Scrambling digital messages, commonly using mathematical algorithms, so only their intended recipients can read them.
Top - exploit. Take advantage of a specific security vulnerability.
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F
- feature. A component of a software program that makes it unique and enables you to do something with that program.
Top - file compression. Reduction of file size, commonly using a program that identifies and removes redundancies in a file. The compression program can also replace the redundancies, uncompressing the file and restoring it to its original form. Compressing a file can help you fit a large file onto a floppy disk, and reduce file transmission time, as when you send file attachments by email.
Top - firewall. A software or hardware "wall" that keeps hackers and malicious software out of a network. Some firewalls are also used to keep employees using an internal company network from browsing the web. A router firewall acts as a hardware firewall between your computer and the internet, preventing contact requests from the internet from reaching your computer. A computer firewall is a software firewall. Software firewalls have the limitation of being able to filter only incoming packets, and cannot monitor or filter outgoing packets.
Top - flood. An attack that sends large amounts of data or repeated connection requests to a victim computer or network, consuming resources. This kind of attack can result in denial of service.
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G
- Geodesic icon. The logo for eAcceleration.
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H
- hacker. A computer enthusiast who learns everything they can about a computer system and pushes it to its highest level of performance. The term is also commonly used to refer to someone who uses their computer skills for malicious or criminal purposes. See cracker.
Top - hacktool, hacker tool. A file (usually standalone) used by hackers to perform actions on an infected computer such as find passwords or look for vulnerable computers.
Top - hijacker. A program that takes over some internet browser settings. A homepage hijacker switches your homepage to another site whenever you restart your browser or computer.
Top - homepage. The first page or front page of a website, which is the starting point for navigation on that site.
Top - honeypot. A server used to attract and trap spammers. Teergrube is the equivalent, which is the German word for tar pit. Similar terms include black hole and spam trap.
Top - host, a.k.a. node. A computer on a network that provides a service or information to other computers.
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I
- icon. A small, pictorial, onscreen representation of an object or symbol.
Top - internet. A network of connected networks.
Top - intranet. A private network within an organization.
Top - IP Internet protocol. The language that enables computers to communicate over the internet, defining how data is divided into packets and addressed so it can reach its destination.
Top - IP address. The unique address of a machine on a network, providing the machine's location and identification.
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J
K
- keylogger, a.k.a. key logger, keystroke logger. Originally developed as a diagnostic tool, these types of programs have been manipulated into tools hackers can use to capture passwords and other personal information. When you press a key on your keyboard, that key's electronic signal is passed to your computer. Keyloggers create a record of all such signals from your keyboard. Some keyloggers can also take screen shots of your computer screen at preset times. Some keyloggers can compress the resultant record and break it down into small, encrypted data packets and transmit them in bits and pieces over a period of time while you are connected to the internet. Such transmissions can be so small and happen so quickly that you do not notice any decrease in computer performance.
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L
- LAN. Local area network. A computer network that covers a small area, such as a house, office, or small group of buildings.
Top - Learning Mode. In StopSign's Firewall, a protection-level setting that allows network traffic from common applications and asks you whether to permit traffic from unrecognized applications. Learning Mode helps automatically construct rules for specific applications.
Top - link. A hypertext jump or connection between files. As a verb, to attach computers through a network, or files through hypertext.
Top - logic bomb, a.k.a. slag code. A program that hides until a specific, pre-programmed condition is met; at which point it executes. Typically, the function of such programs is to destroy or otherwise make some vital portion of a computer's operating code inoperable. The name "logic bomb" derives from the fact that most run "Boolean" or "logic" checks to see if its trigger condition is met. If the trigger condition is met, the check function of these programs returns a (logical) "true" state, and the program runs.
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M
- mailbomb. See email bomb.
Top - malware. Generic term used to describe the community of malicious programs that includes viruses, spyware, and adware.
Top - MBR (Master Boot Record). A small program that is executed when a computer starts. It contains the sequence of commands required for the operating system to boot.
Top - master boot record virus. A virus that replaces the MBR with its own code. Because the MBR executes every time a computer starts, this kind of virus is very dangerous.
Top - menu path. Sequential menu selections followed in order to accomplish a specific goal, like a set of driving directions followed to arrive at an address. A typical menu path would be Start (the Start button) > Programs (one of a number of selections available from the Start menu) > eAcceleration (selection available from the Programs menu) > eAcceleration Software Station (selection available from the eAcceleration menu.
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O
- operating system, a.k.a.OS. The operating system sets the standards for all applications that run on the computer. The applications communicate with the operating system for all user interface and file management operations. The primary operating systems in use are the many versions of Windows (95, 98, NT, Me, 2000, XP), UNIX (Solaris, Linux, etc.), and Macintosh.
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P
- pharming. A fast-spreading online scam that directs multiple users to phony sites where the pharmers harvest their passwords and other personal information. Pharming targets multiple users at once, while phishing targets one user at a time.
Top - phishing. Email fraud that attempts to trick a user into providing personal information by claiming to be a legitimate enterprise, and requesting that information. Used for identity theft.
Top - popup, pop up. A window displayed on top of the existing window or web page. It "pops up" onscreen. Popups are commonly used on web sites to display advertising messages.
Top - popup blocker. A program that detects and blocks advertising popup windows generated by web pages on the internet.
Top - protocol. A rule or standard of communication, used by computers to communicate with other computers, printers, modems, etc.
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Q
- quarantine, quarantined. To move a virus-infected file to a folder that is not easily accessed by regular file management utilities, to keep potentially dangerous files where they cannot spread or damage your computer. The file is isolated until the user either deletes it or (optionally) forwards the virus to an anti-virus vendor for inspection.
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R
- ransomware. Software that, when downloaded, encrypts the contents of your hard drive, making them unreadable. The ransomware perpetrators then demand payment to decrypt your data.
Top - registry. Files in your computer that contain extended information, settings, and various values for the Windows operating systems. Information in the registry controls a majority of the operating system, and contains user-specific information.
Top - right-click. Clicking the right mouse button. Requires a mouse with multiple buttons.
Top - riskware. Programs that are not themselves malicious, but can be used with malware. Riskware can include IRC (internet relay chat) clients, commercial downloaders and monitoring tools, and FPT(file transfer protocol) servers.
Top - rootkit. A software program that hides the presence, or eliminates traces of, a malware program. Rootkits can be either kernel- or application-level kits. Kernel rootkits are especially dangerous because they are difficult to detect without appropriate software.
Top - rule. In StopSign's Firewall, a policy that Firewall applies to applications and network zones to decide whether to allow communication with that application or zone.
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S
- scan. A sequential search for the binary signatures (patterns) of known viruses that have attached themselves to executable programs on your computer as well as trojans and spyware. Anti-virus and anti-spyware scans look through your files and databases to search for malware.
Top - script kiddie, a.k.a.. script bunny, script kitty, skiddie. A derogatory term for a cracker who uses scripts and programs developed by others to compromise computer accounts and files, and launch attacks. A script kiddie generally does not know how to write these kinds of programs and does not know how they work.
Top - SMPT. Simple mail transfer protocol. The language computers use to send and receive email on the internet.
Top - spam. Unsolicited email, usually advertising a product, often pornography. Like viruses, spam has become an internet nuisance as hundreds of millions of unwanted messages are transmitted daily to almost every email recipient.
Top - spambot. A robot that collects email addresses for the purpose of sending spam.
Top - spamhaus. A website devoted to sending spam.
Top - spyware. A cookie or program installed on your computer without your knowledge that tracks such things as your internet browsing habits and sends the information to a server. More dangerous versions can track more personal information. The purpose of such cookies and applications is to create a database of your specific habits or personal information for transmission to the author of the cookie program. In its most sinister form, spyware can collect information such as your birthday, social security number, address, and other pertinent information for the purpose of identity theft.
Top - Stealth Mode. In StopSign's Firewall, an adaptor setting that drops all incoming connections and datagrams, making your computer invisible on the network.
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T
- TCP. Transmission control protocol. TCP enables two hosts to establish a connection and exchange data.
Top - TCP/IP. Transmission control protocol/internet protocol. The standard for communication on the internet.
Top - threat. General term for any malicious software or internet scam that can invade your computer and gather computer data or personal information. Threats include viruses, spyware, cookies, dialers, phishing scams, etc.
Top - toolbar. A software program that displays clickable icons by your taskbar or in your internet browser. Most toolbars are not malicious; however, some report personal information back to their servers or display popup ads.
Top - trojan horse (trojan). A malicious program disguised as legitimate software.
Top - trojan downloader. A malware program that downloads other programs (usually other malware) contrary to the interests of the user.
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U
- URL. Uniform resource locator. The address of a page on the web, such as www.eAcceleration.com.
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V
- virus. A malicious program that infects other files and can spread when executed as part of those files.
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W
- wabbit. A malicious program that replicates itself (either in temporary [RAM] or permanent [hard disk] storage) without infecting other files, or by spreading to different computers.
Top - worm. A malicious, self-replicating program that can spread through a network independent of other programs or files, and without any user action.
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