J277 Section 4 Network Security and Systems Software

Malware

Malicious software designed to harm, exploit, or otherwise compromise a computer system, network, or device. It includes viruses, worms, trojans, and ransomware.

Virus

A type of malware that replicates itself by infecting other files or programs, often causing damage or disruption to the system.

Worm

A self-replicating type of malware that spreads across networks by exploiting vulnerabilities in software, often consuming bandwidth and causing disruption.

Trojan

A type of malware that disguises itself as legitimate software to trick users into installing it, allowing unauthorized access to the system.

Social Engineering

A manipulation technique that exploits human psychology to trick individuals into revealing confidential information or performing actions that compromise security.

Phishing

A form of social engineering that uses deceptive emails or websites to trick individuals into providing sensitive information, such as passwords or credit card numbers.

Human Error

The accidental actions or mistakes made by individuals that can lead to security breaches or vulnerabilities in a system.

Blagging

A form of social engineering where an attacker deceives a target by pretending to be someone they trust, often to gain access to sensitive information or resources.

Security Training

Programs designed to educate employees about security policies, procedures, and best practices to protect sensitive information and prevent security breaches.

Brute Force Attack

A method used by attackers to gain unauthorized access to systems by systematically trying all possible combinations of passwords or encryption keys until the correct one is found.

Denial of Service Attack

A malicious attempt to disrupt the normal functioning of a targeted server, service, or network by overwhelming it with a flood of traffic, rendering it unavailable to users.

Distributed Denial of Service Attack

A type of denial of service attack where multiple compromised systems are used to flood the target with traffic, making it difficult for legitimate users to access the service.

Shouldering

A technique used by attackers to obtain sensitive information such as passwords or PINs by observing a user's actions, often in public places.

Man-in-the-middle attack

A security breach where an attacker intercepts and alters communication between two parties without their knowledge, allowing them to eavesdrop or manipulate the data being transmitted.

Physical Security

Measures designed to protect physical assets from unauthorized access, damage, or theft. This includes locks, surveillance cameras, and access control systems.

SQL Injection

A code injection technique that exploits vulnerabilities in an application's software by inserting malicious SQL statements into input fields, allowing attackers to access or manipulate a database.

Penetration testing

A simulated cyber attack against a computer system, network, or web application to identify security vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers.

Anti-malware software

Programs designed to detect, prevent, and remove malicious software from computers and networks, protecting against viruses, spyware, and other threats.

Firewall

A network security device that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules, acting as a barrier between a trusted internal network and untrusted external networks.

Password protection

A security measure that restricts access to a system or data by requiring a user to enter a secret combination of characters, ensuring only authorized users can gain entry.

User Access Levels

Different permissions granted to users based on their roles, determining what data and functions they can access within a system.

Encryption

The process of converting data into a coded format to prevent unauthorized access, ensuring that only authorized parties can read or process the information.

Operating System

The software that manages computer hardware and software resources, providing essential services for application programs and acting as an interface between the user and the hardware.

System Software

Software designed to provide a platform for running application software, managing hardware, and facilitating system functions. Includes the operating system and utility software.

Functions of an OS

The various tasks performed by an operating system, including managing hardware resources, providing user interfaces, and ensuring efficient operation of application software. Also includes file management, memory management, peripheral management, user management.

GUI

A graphical user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices through visual indicators and graphical elements.

WIMP

An acronym for Windows, Icons, Menus, and Pointing device, representing a style of user interface that allows users to interact with a computer using these elements.

Command Line Interface

A text-based user interface that allows users to interact with the operating system or software by typing commands into a console or terminal. Harder to learn but uses fewer resources and faster for an experienced user. It provides direct control over the system and is often used for scripting and automation.

Memory Management

The process of controlling and coordinating computer memory, including allocation, tracking, and deallocation of memory space to ensure efficient use of resources and optimal system performance.

File management

The administration of files on a computer system, including the creation, organization, storage, retrieval, and deletion of files to ensure efficient data handling and accessibility.

Peripheral management

The administration and control of peripheral devices connected to a computer system, including their configuration, monitoring, and troubleshooting to ensure proper functionality and performance.

Buffering

The process of temporarily storing data in a buffer to accommodate differences in data processing rates between devices or applications, enhancing performance and preventing data loss.

User Management

The administration of user accounts and permissions on a computer system, including creating, modifying, and deleting user profiles to ensure security and access control.

Utility Software

Software designed to help manage, maintain, and control computer resources, including tools for system diagnostics, file management, and performance optimization.

Encryption software

Programs that protect data by converting it into a coded format, ensuring that only authorized users can access the information.

Defragmentation

The process of reorganizing fragmented data on a hard drive to improve performance and access speed by placing related data closer together and empty space together at the end of the disk.

Compression Software

Programs that reduce the size of files for storage efficiency and faster transmission, often by removing redundant data.