G12 IT Social Implications

• A hacker is a person who explores computer systems and networks often with technical expertise to gain knowledge or find vulnerabilities for various purposes.
• A cracker is a hacker who uses their skills to break into computer systems or networks with malicious intent such as unauthorized access or data theft.
• A black hat hacker is an individual who uses their hacking skills for malicious activities such as exploiting vulnerabilities stealing data or causing harm.
• A grey hat hacker is someone who operates between ethical and unethical hacking often exposing vulnerabilities but without malicious intent or permission.
• A white hat hacker also known as an ethical hacker uses their skills to identify and fix security flaws in computer systems or networks with the owner's permission.
• A virus author is an individual who creates and develops malicious software programs known as viruses with the intent to disrupt or damage computer systems.
• A cybergang is a group of hackers or cybercriminals who collaborate to carry out coordinated attacks often targeting organizations or individuals for financial gain.
• A spammer is a person or entity that sends unsolicited and often unwanted messages or advertisements typically through email to a large number of recipients.
• Intellectual property refers to original creations of the mind such as inventions literary and artistic works designs or symbols protected by legal rights.
• Identity theft is the fraudulent gaining and use of someone's personal information such as their name personal number or financial details for illegal purposes.
• Phishing is a cybercrime technique where attackers impersonate legitimate entities often through email or websites to deceive individuals into revealing sensitive information.
• Piggybacking refers to unauthorized access to a wireless network by using someone else's network connection without their knowledge or permission.
• Botnets are networks of compromised computers or "bots" controlled by an attacker typically used for malicious activities such as distributed denial-of-service attacks.
• Cyberbullying is the use of electronic communication such as social media or online platforms to harass intimidate or harm individuals or groups.
• DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) is a type of cyberattack where multiple compromised systems are used to flood a target's network or server causing a denial of service to legitimate users.
• Script Kiddies are individuals with limited technical knowledge who use pre-existing scripts or tools to carry out hacking activities without a deep understanding of the underlying technology.
• Blog: A website or web page where individuals or organizations regularly post informal articles or entries, in chronological order.
• Really Simple Syndication: A technology that allows users to subscribe to website content, such as news articles or blogs, and receive updates in a standardized format.
• Green Computing: The practice of using computers and IT resources in an environmentally friendly manner, focusing on reducing power consumption, electronic waste, and carbon emissions.
• E-Waste: Discarded electronic devices and equipment, including computers, smartphones, and appliances, which can be harmful to the environment if not properly recycled.
• Vampire Power: Also known as standby power or phantom load; the power consumed by electronic devices when they are turned off or in standby mode, often unnoticed by users.
• Bug: An error, flaw, or unintended behavior in a software program or system that causes it to behave unexpectedly or not as intended.
• Update: A modification to a software program or system intended to fix issues, improve functionality, or enhance security, usually released after the initial version.
• Upgrade: The process of replacing a software program or hardware component with a newer or more advanced version to improve performance, features, or compatibility.
• Patch: A small piece of software designed to fix specific issues (bugs or vulnerabilities) within a larger software program without requiring a complete update.
• Service Pack: A comprehensive update or package of updates, patches, and enhancements for a software product, often released periodically to improve stability and security.
• Decision Support System: A computer-based system that utilizes data analysis, modeling, and information retrieval to assist decision-making processes within an organization.
• Expert System: A computer system designed to emulate the decision-making abilities of a human expert in a specific domain, providing expert-level advice and solutions.
• Artificial Intelligence: The simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think and learn like humans, enabling them to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence.
• Fuzzy Logic: A mathematical framework that deals with approximate or imprecise information, allowing for reasoning that works with probabilities in order to make a decision.
• Knowledge-based System: Another name for an expert system.
• Distributed Computing: A computing model where tasks are divided among multiple computers in a network, allowing them to work together on a problem, often improving processing speed and efficiency.
• Information Overload: The state in which an individual is presented with more information than they can effectively process or manage.
• Social Networking: The use of dedicated websites and applications to interact with other users, share content, and form virtual communities based on shared interests or connections.
• Social Engineering: The manipulation of individuals into revealing confidential information, often involving psychological manipulation or impersonation techniques.
• Wiki: A collaborative website that allows multiple users to create, edit, and organize content, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• GUID: a unique reference number used in software applications to identify resources without ambiguity.
• IP Address: A numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication.
• Router Gateway Address: The IP address assigned to a router in a network, serving as the entry and exit point for data packets between the local network and external networks like the internet.
• MAC Address: A unique identifier assigned to every networking device for communications on a computer network.