Binary Code
Computers and other electronic devices store information as Binary Code (which is a series of 1s and 0s that might look like this: 10101001 01101100 11001010).
Network Topology Map
A Network Topology Map is a diagram of a computer network's components, including network access points and connections between its various parts.
Fake Anti-Virus Software
Fake Anti-Virus Software - also known as 'scareware' - is designed to trick you into buying worthless anti-virus protection that you do not need.
Domain Name System
The Domain Name System (DNS) is like the ‘telephone book’ of the Web – it translates a website's name into its corresponding numerical IP address on the Internet.
Social Engineering
A Phishing e-mail is an attempt to trick the recipient into giving up information, such as account, credit card or password information.
Data Encryption
Data Encryption is the intentional scrambling of information into unreadable form - until it is later converted back into its original form by the intended recipient.
Botnet, or Compromised Computers
A Botnet is a collection of computers compromised by a malware attack that can be controlled remotely (via the Internet) to attack websites, send out spam emails, etc.
Distributed Denial of Service Attack
A Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attack can use a botnet to force a website, network or other resource to shut down by overloading it with requests for data.
USB Flash Drive
A USB Flash Drive, aka a 'stick drive' or 'thumb drive' is a portable data storage device which connects to a computer's USB port to send and receive data.
Electronic vs. Static Media
Static Media is something like a book, magazine or printed photo, while Electronic or Digital Media (websites, digital photos, etc.) requires power to be viewed.
Administrative Access
A user with Administrative Rights has unrestricted power to create, modify or delete files, folders, settings and programs on a particular computer.
Computer Security Tip of the Week
Scott Aurnou – Storing your company’s – or your own – data in the cloud brings with it additional security risks. What are they and what should you do about them?
If you enjoyed this video, you can see more on TheSecurityAdvocate YouTube channel (and subscribe if you like).
By Scott Aurnou
It’s understandable to think that when you delete a file and then empty your computer’s ‘trash’ or ‘recycling bin’ folder, the file is gone forever, but… hitting ‘delete’ doesn’t do what you might think it does. Simply put, the data you try to delete is often still on your computer and can be stolen.
Data itself can be divided into three basic types:
1) Active data is comprised of programs and files visible when you turn on your computer, be it on the desktop itself or in any file folder.
2) Archival data is similar to active data, but it’s stored somewhere else, such as on an external backup drive or in ‘the cloud.’
3) Latent data is information on your computer (or network) that’s not visible to you. This can include ‘temporary’ files created when a document is accessed or printed. It also includes ‘deleted’ files.
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Computer Security Tip of the Week
Scott Aurnou – Believe it or not, turning off your computer – as opposed to just putting it into sleep mode – is an important step in keeping it secure. Learn more about it here…
If you enjoyed this video, you can see more on TheSecurityAdvocate YouTube channel (and subscribe if you like).
By Scott Aurnou
Using computers and mobile devices largely concerns storing, retrieving and transferring information more efficiently. Two basic ways to store and access information is via print (like a newspaper, book, or a patient’s written chart or x-ray film) or electronically (reading that same newspaper or book on the Web or a Kindle, storing the chart or x-ray as a file on your office’s computer network, etc.). These are sometimes referred to as static media or digital/electronic media, respectively. Unlike static media, digital/electronic media requires power to access and read, though it’s also easier to search, store and transfer and, of course, it’s always possible to print an electronic record to generate a paper copy.
A somewhat stylized visual of binary code
A kilobyte = 1,024 bytes
A megabyte = 1,048,576 bytes
A gigabyte = 1,073,741,824 bytes
The amount of files a gigabyte can hold will vary a bit, depending on the type of file is being stored and perhaps its video, audio or print quality, but a conservative figure sometimes given is that a gigabyte can hold approximately 75,000 pages of text. That means a computer with a 200-gigabyte storage capacity – not particularly large by today’s standards – can contain about 15 million pages of data.
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Computer Security Tip of the Week
Scott Aurnou – If your phone or tablet is lost or stolen, remote wiping can prevent whoever has it from getting at your pictures, messages, audio & video files and other data kept on the phone. Learn more about it here.
If you enjoyed this video, you can see more on TheSecurityAdvocate YouTube channel (and subscribe if you like).
