Glossary
Authentication Measures
Methods used to verify the identity of a user or system, ensuring that only authorized entities can access resources.
Example:
Entering a password or using a fingerprint scan are common authentication measures to log into your device.
Bias
A prejudice or inclination, often unfair, that can be introduced into computing innovations through biased data, algorithms, or development practices.
Example:
A hiring algorithm showing bias might unfairly favor male candidates if it was trained primarily on historical data from a male-dominated industry.
Certificate Authorities (CAs)
Trusted third-party organizations that issue and manage digital certificates, verifying the identity of entities on the internet.
Example:
When your browser trusts a website's digital certificate, it's because a reputable Certificate Authority has vouched for that website's identity.
Citizen Science
Scientific research conducted, in whole or in part, by amateur or nonprofessional scientists, often in collaboration with professional scientists.
Example:
Volunteers participating in a project to track bird migrations by reporting sightings in their local parks are engaging in citizen science.
Copyright
A legal right granted to the creator of original literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, giving them exclusive rights to use and distribute their work.
Example:
Downloading and sharing a movie without permission is a violation of the film studio's copyright.
Creative Commons
Public copyright licenses that allow creators to share their work with others while retaining some rights, offering a flexible alternative to traditional copyright.
Example:
An artist might release their photos under a Creative Commons license, allowing others to use them for non-commercial purposes as long as they give credit.
Crowdsourcing
The practice of obtaining information, ideas, or services by soliciting contributions from a large group of people, typically via the internet.
Example:
A company uses crowdsourcing to gather ideas for a new product design by asking thousands of users to submit their concepts online.
Data Mining
The process of discovering patterns, trends, and insights from large datasets, often using statistical and machine learning techniques.
Example:
A streaming service uses data mining to analyze your viewing habits and recommend new shows you might like.
Decryption
The process of converting encrypted data back into its original, readable form using a specific key.
Example:
After receiving an encrypted message, your app uses the correct key for decryption to display the original text.
Digital Certificates
Electronic documents used to verify the ownership of a public key, ensuring that a website or user is who they claim to be.
Example:
When you see a padlock icon in your browser's address bar, it indicates the website is using a digital certificate to prove its identity and secure your connection.
Digital Divide
The disparity in access to technology and the internet between different socioeconomic, geographic, or demographic groups.
Example:
Students in rural areas without reliable broadband face a significant digital divide compared to their urban counterparts when trying to access online learning resources.
Encryption
The process of converting information or data into a code to prevent unauthorized access, making it unreadable without the correct key.
Example:
When you send a message through a secure app, encryption scrambles the text so only the intended recipient can read it.
Intellectual Property
Creations of the mind, such as inventions, literary and artistic works, designs, and symbols, names, and images used in commerce, that are protected by law.
Example:
A new app's unique user interface design is considered intellectual property and can be protected from being copied by competitors.
Internet Access
The ability for individuals or communities to connect to the internet, often referring to the availability and affordability of broadband services.
Example:
Lack of affordable Internet Access in low-income neighborhoods contributes significantly to the digital divide.
Keylogging Technology
Software or hardware that records every keystroke made on a computer, often used maliciously to capture passwords and other sensitive information.
Example:
A hacker might install keylogging technology on a public computer to steal login credentials from unsuspecting users.
Machine Learning
A type of artificial intelligence that enables computer systems to learn from data, identify patterns, and make decisions or predictions without being explicitly programmed.
Example:
Facial recognition on your phone uses machine learning to identify your face and unlock the device.
Malware
A broad term for any software intentionally designed to cause damage to a computer, server, client, or computer network, or to gain unauthorized access.
Example:
Viruses, worms, and ransomware are all categories of malware designed to harm computer systems.
Multifactor Authentication
A security system that requires users to provide two or more verification factors to gain access to an account or system.
Example:
When you log into your email and then receive a text message with a code you must enter, you are using multifactor authentication.
Open Access
Research outputs that are distributed online, free of cost or other access barriers, and often with reduced restrictions on use and reuse.
Example:
A scientific journal publishing its articles under an open access model allows anyone to read and download the research without a subscription fee.
Open Source
Software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified by anyone.
Example:
Linux is a well-known open source operating system, meaning its code can be viewed, modified, and shared by anyone.
Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
Any data that can be used to identify a specific individual, such as name, address, social security number, or biometric data.
Example:
Your full name, date of birth, and home address are all examples of Personally Identifiable Information that should be protected online.
Phishing
A cyberattack that uses deceptive emails, messages, or websites to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information like passwords or credit card numbers.
Example:
Receiving an email that looks like it's from your bank, asking you to click a link to 'verify your account' is a common phishing attempt.
Plagiarism
The act of presenting someone else's work or ideas as your own without proper attribution, often considered an academic or ethical offense.
Example:
Copying and pasting text from a website into your school report without citing the source is an act of plagiarism.
Private Key
In public key encryption, this key is kept secret by its owner and is used to decrypt messages that were encrypted with the corresponding public key.
Example:
To access your encrypted files, you need your unique private key, which you keep secure and never share.
Public Key
In public key encryption, this key is freely shared and used by anyone to encrypt messages intended for the owner of the corresponding private key.
Example:
A website publishes its public key so that anyone can encrypt data to send securely to them, but only the website can decrypt it.
Public Key Encryption
An encryption method that uses a pair of mathematically linked keys: a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption.
Example:
When you send a secure message to a website, you use its public key encryption to scramble the data, and only the website's private key can unscramble it.
Strong Password
A password that is difficult for others to guess or crack, typically long, complex, and unique, combining letters, numbers, and symbols.
Example:
Instead of 'password123', a strong password might be 'My@S3cur3P@ssw0rd!'.
Symmetric Key Encryption
An encryption method where the same secret key is used for both encrypting and decrypting the data.
Example:
Imagine two friends using a shared secret codebook to write and read messages; this is similar to symmetric key encryption.
Targeted Advertising
Advertisements tailored to specific users based on their collected data, online behavior, and demographic information.
Example:
After searching for new sneakers online, you start seeing ads for those exact shoes on social media due to targeted advertising.
Trust Model
A framework or system that defines how trust is established and managed within a security system, often involving hierarchies of trusted entities.
Example:
The system where your browser trusts a website's certificate because it's signed by a Certificate Authority, which your browser inherently trusts, is an example of a trust model.
Virus
Malicious software that attaches itself to legitimate programs and replicates, spreading from one computer to another, often causing damage.
Example:
Opening an infected email attachment can unleash a virus that corrupts files on your computer.
World Wide Web
The system of linked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet, allowing users to navigate information through web browsers.
Example:
You use the World Wide Web every day to browse websites like Wikipedia or YouTube for information and entertainment.
Worm
A standalone malicious program that replicates itself and spreads across computer networks without needing to attach to a host program or user interaction.
Example:
A worm might exploit a vulnerability in a network system to spread rapidly to thousands of computers without anyone clicking a link.