APCSP: Internet and Cybersecurity

Internet

A network of networks built on open, agreed upon protocols. A philosophy of making information and knowledge open and accessible to all people.

Protocol

A widely agreed upon set of rules that standardize communication between machines.

Network

A group of two or more computer systems linked together.

Bitrate

The amount of data (in bits) that can be sent in a fixed amount of time.

Bandwidth

The capacity of data transfer in a system. Measured by bitrate.

Latency

The time it takes for a bit to travel from sender to receiver.

Network device

An electronic device which is required for communication between devices.

Computing Device

A physical artifact that can run a program.

Input Devices

Computing device that is used to take in information from a user or another device.

Output Device

Computing device that is used to send computer data to the user.

Storage Device

Computing device that remembers information.

Internet Protocol (IP)

A protocol that defines the structure of an Internet address and assigns a unique address to every device on the Internet.

IPv6

A new 128 bit version of the Internet Protocol.

URL

Uniform Resource Locator. Used to locating a resource that exists somewhere on the internet.

HTTP Request

A request made by a client, to a named host, which is located on a server. The aim of the request is to access a resource on the server.

HTTP Response

A response made by a server to a client. The aim of the response is to provide the client with the resource it requested.

Domain Name System (DNS)

Used to translate domain names into IP addresses.

Packets

The units of data that are sent over the network.

HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP)

Standardizes the language for talking to web servers to send and receive web pages, or HyperText information (HTML pages).

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)

Allows for sending multiple packets between two computers. Checks that all packets arrived and can be put back in the proper order. The metadata must include a destination IP address, a from IP address, the message size and the packet order number.

Metadata

Data that describes and gives information about other data.

Sequential Programming

Program tasks are executed sequentially - once through, from start to finish, one task at a time.

Parallel and Distributed Programming

Completes multiple tasks at a time, simultaneously.

DNS Spoofing

Pretending to be a DNS name resolver. Feeds your computer the wrong IP address for a given website, and your browser now goes to a false website.

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attack

Spams a web server with so many requests so close together that it crashes. Sometimes spitting out valuable information as it crashes.

Cybersecurity

Protocols for encrypting/decrypting information. Most breaches happen due to human error, not software bugs.

Cybercrime

Identity theft, stealing money, stealing private information, controlling private computers.

Public Key Encryption

A type of asymmetric key encryption. There's one key that encrypts the information and there is a different key that decrypts the information.

Copyright

A law that grants the creator of an original work exclusive rights to its use, distribution, and sale.

Public domain

Objects are not subject to copyright laws, and thus may be freely used by the general public.