Adware Any software application that displays advertising banners while the program is running.

Adware often includes code that tracks a user s personal information and passes it on to third parties without the user s authorization or knowledge. And if you gather eno ugh of it, adware slows down your computer significantly. Over time, performance can be so degraded that you may have trouble working productively. See also Spyware and Malware. Anti-Virus Software Software designed to detect and potentially eliminate viruses before they have h ad a chance to wreak havoc within the system. Anti-virus software can also repair or quarantine files that have already been infected by virus activity. See also Vir us and Electronic Infections. Application Software that performs automated functions for a user, such as word processing, spreadsheets, graphics, presentations and databases as opposed to operating system (OS) software. Attachment A file that has been added to an email often an image or document. It could be something useful to you or something harmful to your computer. See also Virus. Authentication Confirming the correctness of the claimed identity of an individual user, machin e, software component or any other entity. Authorization The approval, permission or empowerment for someone or something to do something . Backdoor Hidden software or hardware mechanism used to circumvent security controls. Backup File copies that are saved as protection against loss, damage or unavailability of the primary data. Saving methods include high-capacity tape, separate disk sub-syste ms or on the Internet. Off-site backup storage is ideal, sufficiently far away to reduce the risk of environmental damage such as flood, which might destroy both the primary and the backup if kept nearby. Badware See Malware, Adware and Spyware. Cyber Security GlossaryF C C S M A L L B I Z C Y B E R P L A N N I N G G U I D E CSG-2 Bandwidth The capacity of a communication channel to pass data such as text, images, video or sound through the channel in a given amount of time. Usually expressed in bits p er second. Blacklisting Software A form of filtering that blocks only websites specified as harmful. Parents and employers

sometimes use such software to prevent children and employees from visiting cert ain websites. You can add and remove sites from the not permitted list. This method of filtering allows for more full use of the Internet, but is less efficient at pre venting access to any harmful material that is not on the list. See also Whitelisting Software. Blended Threat A computer network attack that seeks to maximize the severity of damage and spee d of contagion by combining methods for example, using characteristics of both viruses and worms. See also Electronic Infection. Blog Short for Web log, a blog is usually defined as an online diary or journal. It is usually updated frequently and offered in a dated log format with the most recent entry at the top of the page. It often contains links to other websites along with commentary abo ut those sites or specific subjects, such as politics, news, pop culture or computers. Broadband General term used to refer to high-speed network connections such as cable modem and Digital Subscriber Line (DSL). These types of always on Internet connections are actually more susceptible to some security threats than computers that access th e Web via dial-up service. Browser A client software program that can retrieve and display information from servers on the World Wide Web. Often known as a Web browser or Internet browser, Examples include Microsoft s Internet Explorer, Google s Chrome, Apple s Safari, and Mozilla s Firefox. Brute Force Attack An exhaustive password-cracking procedure that tries all possibilities, one by o ne. See also Dictionary Attack and Hybrid Attack. Clear Desk Policy A policy that directs all personnel to clear their desks at the end of each work ing day, and file everything appropriately. Desks should be cleared of all documents and pape rs, including the contents of the in and out trays not simply for cleanliness, but also t o ensure that sensitive papers and documents are not exposed to unauthorized perso ns outside of working hours. F C C S M A L L B I Z C Y B E R P L A N N I N G G U I D E CSG-3 Clear Screen Policy A policy that directs all computer users to ensure that the contents of the scre en are protected from prying eyes and opportunistic breaches of confidentially. Typical ly, the easiest means of compliance is to use a screen saver that engages either on requ est or after a specified short period of time. See also Shoulder Surfing. Cookie

A small file that is downloaded by some websites to store a packet of informatio n on your browser. Companies and organizations use cookies to remember your login or registration identification, site preferences, pages viewed and online shopping-c art so that the next time you visit a site, your stored information can automatically b e pulled up for you. A cookie is obviously convenient but also presents potential security i ssues. You can configure your browser to alert you whenever a cookie is being sent. You can refuse to accept all cookies or erase all cookies saved on your browser. Credit Card A card indicating the holder has been granted a line of credit. Often sought aft er by criminals looking for an easy way to purchase things without having to pay for t hem. For this reason and others, a credit card preferable to a debit card for online shop ping since it provides a buffer between buyer and seller, affording more protections to the bu yer in case there is a problem with the order or the card number is compromised. See al so Debit Card. Cyberbullying Sending or posting harmful, cruel, rude or threatening messages, or slanderous information, text or images using the Internet or other digital communication de vices. Debit Card A card linked directly to the holder s bank account, withdrawing money from the account. Not as safe as credit cards for online shopping since if problems arise , the buyer s money has already been spent and is harder to get back. See also Credit Ca rd. Denial of Service Attack The prevention of authorized access to a system resource or the delaying of syst em operations and functions. Often this involves a cyber criminal generating a larg e volume of data requests. See also Flooding. Dictionary Attack A password-cracking attack that tries all of the phrases or words in a dictionar y. See also Brute Force Attack and Hybrid Attack. F C C S M A L L B I Z C Y B E R P L A N N I N G G U I D E CSG-4 Digital Certificate The electronic equivalent of an ID card that establishes your credentials when d oing business or other transactions on the Web. It contains your name, a serial numbe r, expiration dates, a copy of the certificate holder s public key (used for encrypti ng messages and digital signatures) and the digital signature of the certificate-is suing authority so that a recipient can verify that the certificate is real. Domain Hijacking An attack in which an attacker takes over a domain by first blocking access to t he domain s DNS server and then putting his own server up in its place.

Domain Name System (DNS) The DNS is the way that Internet domain names are located. A website s domain name is easier to remember than its IP (Internet Protocol) address. Dumpster Diving Recovering files, letters, memos, photographs, IDs, passwords, checks, account statements, credit card offers and more from garbage cans and recycling bins. Th is information can then be used to commit identity theft. Electronic Infections Often called viruses, these malicious programs and codes harm your computer and compromise your privacy. In addition to the traditional viruses, other common ty pes include worms and Trojan horses. They sometimes work in tandem to do maximum damage. See also Blended Threat. Encryption A data security technique used to protect information from unauthorized inspecti on or alteration. Information is encoded so that it appears as a meaningless string of letters and symbols during delivery or transmission. Upon receipt, the information is decode d using an encryption key. End User License Agreement (EULA) A contract between you and your software s vendor or developer. Many times, the EU LA is presented as a dialog box that appears the first time you open the software a nd forces you to check I accept before you can proceed. Before accepting, though, read throu gh it and make sure you understand and are comfortable with the terms of the agreement . If the software s EULA is hard to understand or you can t find it, beware! Evil Twins A fake wireless Internet hot spot that looks like a legitimate service. When vic tims connect to the wireless network, a hacker can launch a spying attack on their tr ansactions on the Internet, or just ask for credit card information in the standard pay-for -access deal. See also Man-in-the-Middle Attacks. F C C S M A L L B I Z C Y B E R P L A N N I N G G U I D E CSG-5 File-Sharing Programs Sometimes called peer-to-peer (P2P) programs, these allow many different users t o access the same file at the same time. These programs are often used to illegall y upload and download music and other software. Examples include Napster, Grokster, Kazaa , iMesh, Ares and Limewire. Firewall A hardware or software link in a network that inspects all data packets coming a nd going from a computer, permitting only those that are authorized to reach the other si de. Flooding An attack that attempts to cause a failure in the security of a computer by prov iding more input, such as a large volume of data requests, than it can properly process. Se

e also Denial of Service Attack. Grooming Using the Internet to manipulate and gain trust of a minor as a first step towar ds the future sexual abuse, production or exposure of that minor. Sometimes involves developing the child s sexual awareness and may take days, weeks, months or in som e cases years to manipulate the minor. Hacker An individual who attempts to break into a computer without authorization. HTTPS When used in the first part of a URL (e.g., http://), this term specifies the us e of hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) enhanced by a security mechanism such as Secure Socket Layer (SSL). Always look for the HTTPS on the checkout or order form page when shoppin g online or when logging into a site and providing your username and password. Hybrid Attack Builds on other password-cracking attacks by adding numerals and symbols to dict ionary words. See also Dictionary Attack and Brute Force Attack. Instant Messaging (IM) A service that allows people to send and get messages almost instantly. To send messages using instant messaging you need to download an instant messaging program and kn ow the instant messaging address of another person who uses the same IM program. Se e also Spim. IP (Internet Protocol) Address A computer s inter-network address, written as a series of four 8-bit numbers sepa rated by periods, such as 123.45.678.990. Every website has an IP Address, although fi nding a website is considerably easier to do when using its domain name instead. See als o Domain Name System (DNS). F C C S M A L L B I Z C Y B E R P L A N N I N G G U I D E CSG-6 Internet Service Provider (ISP) A company that provides internet access to customers. Keystroke Logger A specific type of electronic infection that records victims keystrokes and sends them to an attacker. This can be done with either hardware or software. See also Trojan Horse. Malware A generic term for a number of different types of malicious code. See also Adwar e and Spyware. Man-In-the-Middle Attack Posing as an online bank or merchant, a cyber criminal allows a victim to sign i n over a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) connection. The attacker then logs onto the real serv er using the client s information and steals credit card numbers. Monitoring Software Software products that allow parents to monitor or track the websites or email m

essages that a child visits or reads. See also Blacklisting Software and Whitelisting So ftware. Network Two or more computer systems that are grouped together to share information, sof tware and hardware. Operating System (OS) Programs that manage all the basic functions and programs on a computer, such as allocating system resources, providing access and security controls, maintaining file systems and managing communications between end users and hardware devices. Examples include Microsoft s Windows, Apple s Macintosh and Red Hat s Linux. Password A secret sequence of characters that is used as a means of authentication to con firm your identity in a computer program or online. Password Cracking Password cracking is the process of attempting to guess passwords, given the pas sword file information. See also Brute Force Attacks, Dictionary Attacks and Hybrid Attacks. Password Sniffing Passive wiretapping, usually on a local area network, to gain knowledge of passw ords. F C C S M A L L B I Z C Y B E R P L A N N I N G G U I D E CSG-7 Patch A patch is a small security update released by a software manufacturer to fix bu gs in existing programs. Your computer s software programs and/or operating system may b e configured to check automatically for patches, or you may need to periodically v isit the manufacturers websites to see if there have been any updates. Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Programs See File-Sharing Programs. Phishing Soliciting private information from customers or members of a business, bank or other organization in an attempt to fool them into divulging confidential personal and financial information. People are lured into sharing user names, passwords, account inform ation or credit card numbers, usually by an official-looking message in an email or a pop -up advertisement that urges them to act immediately, usually by clicking on a link provided. See also Vishing. Pharming Redirecting visitors from a real website to a bogus one. A user enters what is b elieved to be a valid Web address and is unknowingly redirected to an illegitimate site tha t steals the user's personal information. On the spoofed site, criminals may mimic real transactions and harvest private information unknowingly shared by users. With t his, the attacker can then access the real website and conduct transactions using the cre dentials of a valid user.

Router A hardware device that connects two or more networks and routes incoming data pa ckets to the appropriate network. Many Internet Service Providers (ISPs) provide these devices to their customers, and they often contain firewall protections. Script A file containing active content -- for example, commands or instructions to be executed by the computer. Shoulder Surfing Looking over a person s shoulder to get confidential information. It is an effecti ve way to get information in crowded places because it s relatively easy to stand next to so meone and watch as they fill out a form, enter a PIN number at an ATM machine or type a password. Can also be done long-distance with the aid of binoculars or other vis ionenhancing devices. To combat it, experts recommend that you shield paperwork or your keypad from view by using your body or cupping your hand. Also, be sure you pass wordprotect your computer screen when you must leave it unattended, and clear yo ur desk at the end of the day. See also Clear Desk Policy and Clear Screen Policy. F C C S M A L L B I Z C Y B E R P L A N N I N G G U I D E CSG-8 Skimming A high-tech method by which thieves capture your personal or account information from your credit card, driver s license or even passport using an electronic device cal led a skimmer. Such devices can be purchased online for under $50. Your card is swiped through the skimmer and the information contained in the magnetic strip on the c ard is then read into and stored on the device or an attached computer. Skimming is predominantly a tactic used to perpetuate credit card fraud, but is also gaining in popularity amongst identity thieves. Social Engineering A euphemism for non-technical or low-technology means such as lies, impersonation, tricks, bribes, blackmail and threats used to attack information systems. Sometime s telemarketers or unethical employees employ such tactics. Social Networking Websites Sites specifically focused on the building and verifying of social networks for whatever purpose. Many social networking services are also blog hosting services. There a re more than 300 known social networking websites, including Facebook, MySpace, Friendst er, Xanga and Blogspot. Such sites enable users to create online profiles and post p ictures and share personal data such as their contact information, hobbies, activities a nd interests. The sites facilitate connecting with other users with similar interests, activit ies and locations. Sites vary in who may view a user s profile some have settings which may be changed so that profiles can be viewed only by friends. See also Blogs.

Spam Unwanted, unsolicited email from someone you don t know. Often sent in an attempt to sell you something or get you to reveal personal information. Spim Unwanted, unsolicited instant messages from someone you don t know. Often sent in an attempt to sell you something or get you to reveal personal information. Spoofing Masquerading so that a trusted IP address is used instead of the true IP address . A technique used by hackers as a means of gaining access to a computer system. Spyware Software that uses your Internet connection to send personally identifiable info rmation about you to a collecting device on the Internet. It is often packaged with soft ware that you download voluntarily, so that even if you remove the downloaded program late r, the spyware may remain. See also Adware and Malware. SSL (Secure Socket Layer) An encryption system that protects the privacy of data exchanged by a website an d the individual user. Used by websites whose URLs begin with https instead of http. F C C S M A L L B I Z C Y B E R P L A N N I N G G U I D E CSG-9 Trojan Horse A computer program that appears to be beneficial or innocuous, but also has a hi dden and potentially malicious function that evades security mechanisms. A keystroke logge r, which records victims keystrokes and sends them to an attacker, or remote-control led zombie computers are examples of the damage that can be done by Trojan horses. See also Electronic Infection. URL Abbreviation for Uniform (or Universal) Resource Locator. A way of specifying the location of publicly available information on the Internet. Also known as a Web address. URL Obfuscation Taking advantage of human error, some scammers use phishing emails to guide recipients to fraudulent sites with names very similar to established sites. The y use a slight misspelling or other subtle difference in the URL, such as monneybank.com instead of moneybank.com to redirect users to share their personal information unknowingly. Virus A hidden, self-replicating section of computer software, usually malicious logic , that propagates by infecting i.e., inserting a copy of itself into and becoming part of -another program. A virus cannot run by itself; it requires that its host program be run to make the virus active. Often sent through email attachments. Also see Electronic Infection and Blended Threat. Vishing Soliciting private information from customers or members of a business, bank or other

organization in an attempt to fool them into divulging confidential personal and financial information. People are lured into sharing user names, passwords, account inform ation or credit card numbers, usually by an official-looking message in an email or a pop -up advertisement that urges them to act immediately but in a vishing scam, they are u rged to call the phone number provided rather than clicking on a link. See also Phish ing. Vulnerability A flaw that allows someone to operate a computer system with authorization level s in excess of that which the system owner specifically granted. Whitelisting Software A form of filtering that only allows connections to a pre-approved list of sites that are considered useful and appropriate for children. Parents sometimes use such softw are to prevent children from visiting all but certain websites. You can add and remove sites from the permitted list. This method is extremely safe, but allows for only extrem ely limited use of the Internet. F C C S M A L L B I Z C Y B E R P L A N N I N G G U I D E CSG-10 Worm Originally an acronym for Write once, read many times, a type of electronic infect ion that can run independently, can propagate a complete working version of itself o nto other hosts on a network, and may consume computer resources destructively. Once this malicious software is on a computer, it scans the network for another machine wi th a specific security vulnerability. When it finds one, it exploits the weakness to copy itself to the new machine, and then the worm starts replicating from there, as well. Se e also Electronic Infection and Blended Threat. Zombie Computer A remote-access Trojan horse installs hidden code that allows your computer to b e controlled remotely. Digital thieves then use robot networks of thousands of zom bie computers to carry out attacks on other people and cover up their tracks. Author ities have a harder time tracing criminals when they go through zombie computers. Sources: National Institute of Standards and Technology: http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistir/ir7298-rev1/nistir-7298-revision1.pdf

4SECTION 4 Glossary of Internet Security Terms Adware A form of spyware. Displays the pop-up ads you ve seen on your computer. Advert isers use it to generate online revenue and exposure. Adware installs components that gath er personal information without informing you that it s doing so. Broadband High-speed Internet connection typically offered by cable and phone comp

anies. Without adequate Internet security, Broadband users are constantly at risk of online sec urity threats because their computers are always connected to the Internet. Cookies Bits of information secretly stored on your computer allowing others to mo nitor your Internet activities. This spyware is often used to gather information on your Web-surfing habits to help companies create better marketing strategies. However, many send information to online cri minals who would use it to harm you. Firewall Software that sets up a defense barrier around your computer so that hack ers and online criminals cannot access the information on your computer. Hackers Individuals with computer and Internet skill levels sufficient enough to b reak security settings on personal computers and servers over the Internet. Some hackers do it for recr eation, others for malicious intent. Identity Theft Occurs when a criminal obtains and uses another individual s personal information (social security numbers, financial account information, etc.) to use his or her identity for illegal purposes. They then conduct fraudulent activities in the victim s name. ISP Internet Service Provider. An organization that offers Internet access to cust omers. Phishing A hoax where Internet criminals send out false emails in the name of a le gitimate organization in order to trick victims into sending personal information back to be used in i dentity theft crimes. Spam Unsolicited promotional email. Spyware Dangerous software that collects information about your computer activitie s. It sends that information to others without your knowledge or permission. Once on your compute r, spyware installs itself and starts working. It s difficult to detect, and often impossible for aver age users to remove. Types of spyware include tracking cookies, adware, Trojan Horses, and system monitors. System Monitors Spyware that observes and captures keystrokes of virtually everyth ing you do on your computer including passwords, social security numbers, credit card numbers, e mails and chat room dialogs. It also monitors the Web sites you ve visited, and programs you ve run . They usually run unnoticed, storing the information on your computer in a secret file to be retri eved later. Trojan Horses Spyware that is often disguised as harmless or even desirable programs, but is actually designed to cause loss or theft of computer data and to destroy computer systems. They usually arrive as email attachments or bundled with other software. Some give attackers unrestricted access to your computer anytime you re online, allowing file transfers, adding or deleting of files and programs, and taking control of your mouse and keyboard. Virus A software program written to disrupt computer systems and to destroy data viruses are the most well known Internet security threat. Worms Similar to viruses but much more dangerous. They spread rapidly by accessing your email address

book and automatically forwarding themselves to every address it contains. Current anti-virus software can t find worms once they ve been loaded onto your system. Web filtering A software tool that allows computer users to determine which Web content they will allow onto your computer through their browser. 9 Internet

Appendix C? Glossary Selected terms used in the Guide to Malware Incident Prevention and Handling are defined below. Antivirus Software: A program that monitors a computer or network to identify a ll major types of malware and prevent or contain malware incidents. Backdoor: A malicious program that listens for commands on a certain Transmissi on Control Protocol (TCP) or User Datagram Protocol (UDP) port. Blended Attack: An instance of malware that uses multiple infection or transmis sion methods. Boot Sector Virus: A virus that infects the master boot record (MBR) of a hard drive or the boot sector of removable media, such as floppy diskettes. Compiled Viruses: A virus that has had its source code converted by a compiler program into a format that can be directly executed by an operating system. Cookie: A small data file that holds information regarding the use of a particu lar Web site. Deny by Default: A configuration for a firewall or router that denies all incom ing and outgoing traffic that is not expressly permitted, such as unnecessary se rvices that could be used to spread malware. Disinfecting: Removing malware from within a file. Egress Filtering: Blocking outgoing packets that should not exit a network. False Negative: An instance in which a security tool intended to detect a parti cular threat fails to do so. False Positive: An instance in which a security tool incorrectly classifies ben ign content as malicious. File Infector Virus: A virus that attaches itself to executable programs, such as word processors, spreadsheet applications, and computer games. Host-Based Intrusion Prevention System: A program that monitors the characteris tics of a single host and the events occurring within the host to identify and s top suspicious activity. Indication: A sign that a malware incident may have occurred or may be occurrin g. Ingress Filtering: Blocking incoming packets that should not enter a network. Interpreted Virus: A virus that is composed of source code that can be executed only by a particular application or service. Keystroke Logger: A device that monitors and records keyboard usage. Macro Virus: A virus that attaches itself to application documents, such as wor d processing files and spreadsheets, and uses the application?s macro programmin g language to execute and propagate. Malicious Code: See ?Malware?. C- 1 GUIDE TO MALWARE INCIDENT PREVENTION AND HANDLING Malware: A program that is inserted into a system, usually covertly, with the i ntent of compromising the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of the vic tim?s data, applications, or operating system or of otherwise annoying or disrup ting the victim. Mass Mailing Worm: A worm that spreads by identifying e-mail addresses, often b y searching an infected system, and then sending copies of itself to those addre sses, either using the system?s e-mail client or a self-contained mailer built i nto the worm itself.

Memory Resident: A virus that stays in the memory of infected systems for an ex tended period of time. Mobile Code: Software that is transmitted from a remote system to be executed o n a local system, typically without the user?s explicit instruction. Multipartite Virus: A virus that uses multiple infection methods, typically inf ecting both files and boot sectors. Network Service Worm: A worm that spreads by taking advantage of a vulnerabilit y in a network service associated with an operating system or an application. Network-Based Intrusion Prevention System: A program that performs packet sniff ing and analyzes network traffic to identify and stop suspicious activity. Obfuscation Technique: A way of constructing a virus to make it more difficult to detect. On-Access Scanning: Configuring a security tool to perform real-time scans of ea ch file for malware as the file is downloaded, opened, or executed. On-Demand Scanning: Allowing users to launch security tool scans for malware on a computer as desired. Payload: The portion of a virus that contains the code for the virus?s objectiv e, which may range from the relatively benign (e.g., annoying people, stating pe rsonal opinions) to the highly malicious (e.g., forwarding personal information to others, wiping out systems). Persistent Cookie: A cookie stored on a computer indefinitely so that a Web sit e can identify the user during subsequent visits. Phishing: Tricking individuals into disclosing sensitive personal information t hrough deceptive computer-based means. Precursor: A sign that a malware attack may occur in the future. Proxy: A program that receives a request from a client, and then sends a reques t on the client?s behalf to the desired destination. Quarantining: Storing files containing malware in isolation for future disinfec tion or examination. Remote Administration Tool: A program installed on a system that allows remote attackers to gain access to the system as needed. Rootkit: A collection of files that is installed on a system to alter the stand ard functionality of the system in a malicious and stealthy way. C- 2 GUIDE TO MALWARE INCIDENT PREVENTION AND HANDLING Session Cookie: A temporary cookie that is valid only for a single Web site ses sion. Signature: A set of characteristics of known malware instances that can be used to identify known malware and some new variants of known malware. Spyware: Malware intended to violate a user?s privacy. Spyware Detection and Removal Utility: A program that monitors a computer to id entify spyware and prevent or contain spyware incidents. Tracking Cookie: A cookie placed on a user?s computer to track the user?s activ ity on different Web sites, creating a detailed profile of the user?s behavior. Trigger: A condition that causes a virus payload to be executed, usually occurr ing through user interaction (e.g., opening a file, running a program, clicking on an e-mail file attachment). Trojan Horse: A non-replicating program that appears to be benign but actually has a hidden malicious purpose. Virus: A form of malware that is designed to self-replicate?make copies of itse lf?and distribute the copies to other files, programs, or computers. Web Browser Plug-In: A mechanism for displaying or executing certain types of c ontent through a Web browser. Web Bug: A tiny graphic on a Web site that is referenced within the Hypertext M arkup Language (HTML) content of a Web page or e-mail to collect information abo ut the user viewing the HTML content. Worm: A self-replicating program that is completely self-contained and self-pro pagating. Zombie: A program that is installed on a system to cause it to attack other sys tems. C-