DIGITALSECURITYGUIDE Digital Security Terminology 1. Backdoor – A hole in a computer system’s security structure deliberately left in place by designers or maintainers. Skype is said to have such backdoors, which can allow third parties or designers of the software to tap into your conversations. 2. Cookie – A small text file saved on your computer by your browser. Websites use it to remember you.It can help identify a user and record personal information such as an ID and password, mailing address or credit card number.Used to remember you or your preferences when you revisit that page or to track your browsing activities, cookies facilitate virtual shopping carts, page customisation, and targeted advertising. They are not programs and cannot read your hard drive or cause damage to your computer. 3. Encryption- A security method that makes information unreadable to anyone who doesn't have a key to decipher it; commonly used to secure online purchases and other transactions. When a website indicates it's "secure," that usually means the data you send and receive is encrypted. See also, public key cryptography. Firewall (network) A hardware or software device, or both, that controls network access and communications between a network and the Internet, or between one part of a network and another. Social engineering A method of deceiving users into divulging private information. Social engineering takes advantage of our natural tendency to trust one another rather than rely solely on technological means to steal information. Often associated with phishing, pharming, spam, and other Internet-based scams. Spam Unsolicited email, usually sent in bulk to a large number of random accounts; often contains ads for products or services. Also used in phishing scams and other online fraud. Can be minimised using email filtering software. Firewall (personal) Software that controls access and communications between a computer and the Internet or a local network. Blocks hackers and other unauthorised traffic, while allowing authorized traffic through. DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service Attack) – An attempt to make a website unavailable to users by overwhelming it with requests until it shuts down 29