J277-Glossary-Booklet

What does the CPU stand for, and what is its main function?

Central Processing Unit; it controls the operation of all parts of the computer and executes program instructions.

What is the fetch-execute cycle in a CPU?

A process where instructions are fetched one by one from main memory, decoded, and executed, repeating until the program is complete.

What is RAM and its characteristics?

Random Access Memory; it is volatile memory that stores data and programs currently in use and is lost when the computer is turned off.

Define ROM and its purpose.

Read Only Memory; it is non-volatile memory used to store programs that cannot be changed and are retained when the computer is turned off.

What are the two types of compression and their differences?

Lossy compression reduces file size by removing data without restoring the original file, while lossless compression reduces file size without losing any data.

What is a Local Area Network (LAN)?

A network covering a small geographic area, such as a single building.

What does the acronym HTTP stand for and its use?

Hypertext Transfer Protocol; it is a standard for transferring web pages between a client and a web server.

What is a Denial of Service attack?

An attempt to overwhelm a computer system with more traffic than it can handle, causing parts or the whole system to fail.

What is social engineering in cybersecurity?

A tactic to gain access to computer systems by manipulating people instead of using technical attacks.

What does SQL stand for, and what is its purpose?

Structured Query Language; it is a programming language designed for managing and querying data in databases.