IT Jargon busting – A to Z

(Bit)map

A common graphic format used by computers where the graphic/picture is made up of a number of individual dots (bits) to form an image.

The term bitmap comes from computer programming terminology and means just a map of bits or a spatially mapped array of bits. Now, along with pixmap, it commonly refers to the similar concept of a spatially mapped array of pixels. In some contexts, the term bitmap implies one bit per pixel, while pixmap is used for images with multiple bits per pixel.

The file extension for these types of files is .bmp, these can get very large in size and if storage space is a factor then images are usually transferred into a more compressed format such as JPEG.

Breadcrumbs

Named after the trail of breadcrumbs left by Hansel and Gretel in the fairytale, breadcrumbs are a navigation technique used in user interfaces, most typically websites.

Breadcrumbs provide you with a path to return back through the website pages/sections viewed to your original point of entry. They usually appear horizontally below any title bars or headers. They can also show the location of a particular page in the hierarchy of a website.

Also useful for SEO purposes, breadcrumbs (as anchor text) can be read by search engines such as Google and help improve the rankings of a website.

Bug

An error/flaw in a computer program that means it will not run properly. The majority of bugs are made by people in a program's source code or design. Common bugs are often fixed in later updates of the same software.

There are several types of bugs causing different levels of inconvenience to the user. Some go undetected for a long time as they only have a subtle effect on a program's functionality, whereas others are more serious and cause programs to crash or freeze. Some bugs can even enable hackers to bypass security controls in order to obtain data for fraudulent use.

It is rumoured that the term came about after a moth flew into the Harvard University Mark II Aiken Relay Calculator, causing it to crash. The moth was taped to the error logbook!

Cookie

A small text file sent to your computer via your web browser. Cookies store information about you so that a website can remember you; almost like your own identification card. Typical uses include allowing you to log into a website, use a shopping basket and remember your user preferences. Cookies make the interactions between users and websites faster and easier.

Cookies are also used by companies to monitor users' surfing habits and profile them for marketing purposes. It is possible to disable and delete cookies if you are worried about privacy and security, but it is worth noting that without cookies, some websites or functionality (e.g. shopping baskets) will not be accessible.

Cracker

A serious hacker who manipulates firewall software so that they can pass through it whenever it suits them. Software can then be modified to remove protection methods such as copy prevention, serial numbers, trial/demo versions and hardware keys.

The most visible and controversial effect of software cracking is the releasing of fully operable propriety software (e.g. Microsoft Windows, iTunes or Adobe Photoshop) without any copy protection. Proprietary software developers are constantly developing techniques to prevent crackers from modifying an application's binary that causes or prevents a specific key branch in the program's execution. The use of cracked software is illegal in almost every developed country.

Crash

The sudden failure of a software application or operating system to perform its expected function and respond to other parts of the system. Often the offending program will appear to freeze. If this program is a critical part of the operating system kernel the entire computer may crash.

Driver

A piece of software/computer program that controls a hardware device such as a printer or scanner. A driver will usually need to be installed after a device has been purchased in order to use it. It will communicate with the device and issue commands to evoke the required output e.g. printing of a document.

Ethical hacker

A specialist whose job it is to protect and secure IT systems. With the owner's permission, they attack a network or security system, utilising methods such as social engineering and hacking tools. The aim is to evade security, gain entry into secured areas and then to report on its vulnerability to malicious hackers.

Also known as a white hat hacker, a group of these people are often called tiger teams or red teams.

Gnutella

The most popular file sharing network on the internet, Gnutella is not a piece of software, but an open protocol that allows networked users to share files on each other's computers. This protocol is used by clients, such as LimeWire and Gnucleus, to provide free and open source software. In 2005 Gnutella had a computer population of over 1.8 million.

The originators supposedly ate a lot of Nutella while working on the original project and chose to combine this with GNU, a computer operating system composed entirely of free software, to create the name Gnutella.

MAN

A Metropolitan Area Network (MAN). Rather than a Local Area Network (LAN) that enables computing devices to communicate with each other within an office or building, a MAN can span a larger geographical location, such as a city.

The largest area network is a Wide Area Network (WAN), which has no geographical limitations and is typically a group of networks or LANs linked together in remote locations.

Phishing

A form of internet fraud whereby fake (but legitimate looking) emails are used to acquire confidential information such as usernames, passwords and credit card details, in order to steal a user's identity.

The sender poses as a trustworthy entity such as a bank, ISP or online payment processor and typically directs the user to a fake website to enter their details. The website's look, feel and URL will be almost identical to the legitimate one.

The term itself is thought to be a combination of phreaking (the hacking of telecommunications systems) and fishing, referring to bait used to 'catch' confidential information.

RAM

Random Access Memory (RAM), a form of computer data storage which holds whatever you are currently working on. It comprises integrated circuits on the motherboard which allow data to be accessed at random. The content of the RAM is lost when the computer is turned off.

The amount of RAM installed on a computer can affect the speed at which it operates and in general, the more installed, the better the performance. RAM should not be confused with the amount of space on a computer's hard drive.

Route(r)

A networking device where software and hardware are usually tailored to the tasks of routing and forwarding information.

In packet-switched networks such as the Internet, a router is a device, or even software in a computer, that determines the next network point to which a packet (unit of data) should be forwarded toward its destination. The router is connected to at least two networks and decides which way to send each information packet based on its current understanding of the state of the networks it is connected to. It does this by interrogating a routing table which is either static or dynamically generated.

A router is located at any gateway (where one network meets another) and most can be set up to block certain types of data packets which can be useful for security reasons.

Shortcut

A small file containing a target URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) or the name of a target program file that the shortcut represents, making it easier to access from a different location. Shortcuts are commonly placed on a desktop, in an application launcher panel, or in the main menu of a desktop environment.

In Windows 95 and later operating systems, a shortcut is a computer desktop icon that enables a user to easily see and select a particular program or data object. The operating system comes with some shortcuts (usually indicated by an icon with an arrow in one corner) already visible on the desktop which can be removed or new ones added. Deleting a shortcut does not delete the item it points to.

Spam

The unsolicited distribution of bulk messages via electronic messaging systems. Spam can be applied to many media including email, search engines, internet forums, fax, mobile phones and wikis.

Email spam is probably the most common form of spam and due to the cheap and mass nature of the medium, the volume of unsolicited mail is very high. This means that even with extremely low response rate, spamming can still be profitable.

It is believed that the term spam originated from a Monty Python sketch.

Surfer

A person who browses the internet!

(Universal Serial) Bus

Also known as a flash drive or memory stick, a USB is a plug-and-play portable storage device that uses flash memory and can be used in place of a floppy disk, Zip drive disk, or CD.

When plugged into the USB port, a computer's operating system recognises the device as a removable drive and assigns it a drive letter. Unlike most removable drives, a USB drive does not require rebooting after it's attached, batteries or an external power supply.

Worm

A form of malware (malicious software) designed to spread via a computer network. A worm does not need a host program to work like a virus does. They are typically spread when inadvertently opening email attachments or messages that contain executable files.

Rather than corrupting or modifying files, a worm consumes bandwidth, slowing down operations and spontaneously generating additional email messages containing copies of the worm. Most worms can penetrate firewalls and other network security measures although antivirus software applications attempt to combat them.

Zombie

A computer that has been compromised by a hacker, spammer or virus. An affected machine will generally be just one of a botnet (collection of computer robots), operated remotely to perform malicious tasks including email spam, pay per click fraud, phishing and website flooding (which can result in the crashing of legitimate websites).

In most cases, the owner of a zombie computer will be unaware that their system is being used in this way.