Glossary

Access point

A wireless hub that links together different 802.11 network cards to form an ‘infrastructure’ wireless network (as opposed to ad-hoc).

Access privileges

The ability of users to read, change or delete files

ActiveX

A Microsoft system that allows reusable software components, especially applied to those downloaded on web pages to make them interactive.

Ad-hoc network

A wireless network that links computers on a peer-to-peer basis rather than routing traffic through a central access point.

Administrator

A user with sufficient access rights to allow them to manage the access rights of other users and carry out other high-level computer management tasks.

Advance fee fraud

Any fraud that tricks victims into paying money up front on the false hope of receiving a large windfall later

Adware

A form of spyware that displays unwanted adverts on a computer

AIM

AOL Instant Messaging, a system for doing instant messaging

Antivirus software

Software specifically designed for the detection and prevention of known viruses.

ASCII

American Standard Code for Information Interchange, a widely used code for digitally representing letters, numbers and punctuation marks

Attachment

Files, such as programs or documents, that are attached to an email

Authentication

The process for verifying that someone or something is who or what it claims to be. In private and public computer networks (including the Internet), authentication is generally done with passwords.