CSC098 Review: Databases, Big Data, Digital Security, and Logic Gates

Vocabulary flashcards generated from lecture notes covering Databases, Big Data, Information Systems, Digital Asset Protection, Cyber Security, and Logic Gates.

Database

A collection of related data stored, sorted, organized, and queried to turn raw data into meaningful and useful information.

Data Integrity

A database state ensuring that data is accurate, reliable, and consistent across the system.

Database Administrator (DBA)

An IT professional responsible for designing, constructing, and maintaining databases.

Flat Database

A simple database structure represented as a single table or list, such as a table in Microsoft Word or a spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel.

Data Redundancy

A problem in flat databases where the same data is entered repeatedly across multiple lists.

Data Inconsistency

A problem occurring when duplicated data across different lists is not updated uniformly, creating conflicting records.

Data Warehouse

A large-scale collection of data that consolidates data from an organization's multiple operational databases to present an enterprise-wide view.

Clickstream Data

Information captured by software tracking every click a user makes while navigating a website.

Time-Variant Data

Data in a warehouse that includes current and historical records across multiple time periods to enable past analysis and future projections.

Data Mining

The process of analyzing large amounts of data to spot significant hidden patterns and trends.

Association or Affinity Grouping

A data-mining technique used to determine which data items occur together.

Clustering

A data-mining technique that organizes data into similar subgroups without using predefined classes.

Anomaly Detection

A data-mining technique that identifies outliers to provide insights into fixing operational problems or capturing new opportunities.

Business Information System (BIS)

A software-based solution used to gather, process, store, and analyze information to support business operations and decision-making.

Transaction-Processing System (TPS)

An operational-level system that tracks daily, routine business transactions and activities.

Real-Time Processing

A transaction processing method where data is updated immediately, item by item, as transactions occur.

Batch Processing

A processing method where transactions are accumulated over time and processed together in a single group.

Management Information System (MIS)

A system that provides timely, accurate information and generates structured reports to assist managers in decision-making.

Detail Report

An MIS report that lists all individual transactions within a specific timeframe.

Summary Report

An MIS report providing consolidated, calculated totals and visual displays of detailed transaction data.

Exception Report

An MIS report highlighting unusual or critical conditions that require immediate managerial attention.

Decision Support System (DSS)

An interactive information system designed to help managers develop solutions for specific, semi-structured problems using internal and external data.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System

An enterprise-wide software system that integrates all business process data into a central database accessible across all departments.

Big Data

Large-scale data sets that exceed the processing and storage capabilities of conventional database software.

Volume (Big Data)

A Big Data characteristic describing the massive and ever-growing scale of data required to be processed.

Velocity (Big Data)

A Big Data characteristic referring to the speed at which data arrives and must be processed.

Variety (Big Data)

A Big Data characteristic describing the diversity of structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data formats.

Veracity (Big Data)

A Big Data characteristic referring to data quality, accuracy, fidelity, and trustworthiness.

Value (Big Data)

A Big Data characteristic measuring the utility, actionable insights, and business impact generated from data.

Cybercrime

Any criminal action perpetrated primarily through the use of a computer.

Cybercriminals

Individuals who use computers, networks, and the Internet to perpetrate digital crimes.

Identity Theft

A crime in which a thief steals personal information to impersonate someone else in financial or legal transactions.

White-Hat Hacker

An authorized, ethical hacker who penetrates systems for non-malicious security testing and protection.

Black-Hat Hacker

A criminal hacker who breaks into systems to destroy information or achieve illegal gain.

Gray-Hat Hacker

A hacker who unlawfully accesses systems without malicious intent, primarily to flaunt expertise or satisfy curiosity.

Trojan Horse

A malicious program masquerading as a useful application while silently performing destructive actions in the background.

Rootkit

A set of software tools allowing hackers to gain absolute control of a computer system without user awareness.

Zombie

A computer connected to the Internet that has been compromised by a hacker and silently awaits remote commands.

Denial-of-Service (DoS) Attack

An attack where a single computer repeatedly floods a target system with requests to shut it down and deny access to legitimate users.

Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Attack

A coordinated attack launching synchronized requests simultaneously from thousands of hijacked zombie computers (a botnet) to overwhelm a target server.

Logical Port

A virtual communication gateway (e.g., HTTP port $80$, FTP port $21$) used to route network traffic, which can be exploited by hackers for unauthorized access.

Malware

Short for malicious software; programs explicitly designed with malicious intent to damage or disrupt computer systems.

Computer Virus

A malicious program that attaches itself to another computer file or host program and replicates itself across devices.

Adware

Software designed to display sponsored advertisements in browser windows or pop-up boxes to generate developer revenue.

Spyware

An unwanted piggyback program running silently in the background to monitor, record, and transmit user activities to external sources.

Keystroke Logger

A spyware feature or device that records every key pressed on a keyboard to capture private input.

Spam

Unwanted or unsolicited bulk e-mail messages.

Spim

Unsolicited junk messages transmitted across instant messaging services.

Cookie

A small text file stored automatically on a user's hard drive by websites to save preferences and track browsing habits.

Social Engineering

A manipulative technique leveraging human interactions and social skills to entice individuals into disclosing sensitive personal information.

Phishing

A social engineering attack relying on fraudulent e-mails disguised as trusted entities to lure users into revealing personal data.

Pharming

An attack where malicious code alters browser settings to automatically redirect users to bogus websites even when correct web addresses are entered.

Ransomware

Malware that encrypts crucial files on a victim's system, holding them hostage until an extortion ransom is paid.

Scareware

Malware that uses fake security warnings to convince users their device is infected, tricking them into purchasing useless software.

Virus Signature

A unique segment of code specific to a particular virus used by antivirus software for identification.

Biometric Authentication Device

A security input tool that scans unique physical traits (such as fingerprints or iris patterns) and converts them to digital codes for verification.

Image Backup

A complete system backup that captures a snapshot of an entire computer, including system software, application files, and data files.

Boolean Logic

A system of logical decision-making operating on binary conditions evaluated as either True ($1$) or False ($0$).

Truth Table

A grid illustrating output states for every possible combination of binary input states in a logic circuit, containing $2^n$ entries for $n$ inputs.

OR Gate

A digital logic gate producing an output of $1$ (TRUE) if at least one of its inputs is $1$ (TRUE).

AND Gate

A digital logic gate producing an output of $1$ (TRUE) only when all of its inputs are $1$ (TRUE).

NOT Gate

A logic gate that performs logical inversion, producing an output that is the complement of its single input.

NOR Gate

A combination of an OR gate followed by a NOT gate; outputs $1$ (TRUE) only when all inputs are $0$ (FALSE).

NAND Gate

A combination of an AND gate followed by a NOT gate; outputs $0$ (FALSE) only when all inputs are $1$ (TRUE).

Boolean Operator Precedence

The order of priority evaluated in Boolean logic expressions: Brackets (), NOT, AND, and finally OR.