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AP CSP Unit 1
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| innovation(s) | The process of imagining something that does not yet exist, but that has potential value, and making it real through the application of design, implementation, and production. |
| security breach | Unauthorized access of data, applications, services, networks and/or devices by bypassing underlying security mechanisms. |
| algorithm | A process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problems solving operations |
| flow patterns | Patterns that can emerge when data is transformed using computational tools |
| sequencing | To do things in order, one after another. Executing the statement one at a time, often called linear |
| iteration | Repetition. One complete step of a loop, repeated until a certain condition is met |
| selection | Uses "if...then" to tell computer how to select a step or to tell the sequence that should be executed |
| condition (Boolean) | A statement that has a particular outcome or result that is either true or false |
| loop | The repetition of some code. |
| indefinite loops | When it is unknown how many times a loop will iterate, usually we are waiting for an event to occur such as "repeat until...." |
| definite loops | Executes a predetermined set of times for a loop to be repeated |
| flowchart | A simple diagram with symbols showing the "flow" of a process |
| imperative statement | A command statement with a verb phrase that indicates an operation to perform (example: "move forward") |
| descriptive qualifier | A specific adverb or adjective that further qualifies or limits the meaning of a word (example: left shoe) |
| cryptography | Securing (or encrypting) information such that it is inaccessible by third parties. |
| plaintext | Text that is not written in code such as an unencrypted message. |
| ciphertext | The result of encryption performed on plaintext using an algorithm or cipher. |
| Caesar cipher | Also called substitution cipher. Substitutes each letter of the original, unencrypted message (plaintext)with a corresponding letter in the encrypted message(ciphertext) |
| Vigenère cipher | More sophisticated algorithms used to improve encryption from Caesar Cipher by adding a key phrase |
| cybersecurity | Measures taken to protect a computer or computer system against unauthorized access or attack |
| CIA Triad | Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability |
| confidentiality | The ability to limit access to information to a certain set of users |
| integrity | The certainty that information is accurate |
| availability | The reliability of access to information |
| authentication | The process of determining whether someone or something is who or what they claim to be. |
| Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) | The standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between a web server and a browser, typically indicated with padlock icon in the address bar. |
| digital certificate | Validates the ownership of encrypted keys used in secured communications and are based on a trust model. |
| Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Attack | an attempt to make an online service unavailable by overwhelming it with traffic from multiple sources. |
| firewall | Part of a computer system or network that is designed to block unauthorized access while permitting outward communication. |
| public key encryption | A non-symmetric encryption method that uses a paired public and private (asymmetric) key algorithm. |
| viruses | Code that is capable of copying itself and corrupting a system or destroying data. |
| symmetric encryption | A method of encryption involving one key for encryption and decryption. |
| social engineering | The psychological manipulation of people into performing actions or divulging confidential information |
| phishing | Obtaining confidential information by masquerading as an "official" person, site, or entity. A form of social engineering |
| malware | Software that is intended to damage or disable computers and computer systems. |
| ambiguity | Uncertainty or being open to more than one interpretation. |
| natural language | A complex, but structured language, both written and spoken, that has evolved naturally in humans through use, repetition and adaptation. |
| artificial language | A limited size language, usually developed by a small group for specific purposes, usually much simpler and structured. |
| visual programming language | A programming language that lets users drag and drop icons into organized blocks of code to create programs rather than typing text. |
| high-level language | A programming language that is is easier for humans to read, write and parse. Guaranteed to be unambiguous. |
| low-level language | A programming language that has little or no abstraction and communicates closely to the hardware using assembly or machine language. Less natural for humans. |
| source code | Programs that programmers write in high-level languages |
| machine code | Machine-level instructions that are uniquely read by computer processors using patterns of 1s and 0s. |
| compilation | Source code that has been translated into machine code. |
| compiler | A program that translates high-level, human-readable languages into a corresponding string of 1's and 0's for computer processing. |
| hardware | Physical components of a computer built using multiple levels of abstraction such as transistors, logic gates,chips, memory, motherboard, special purpose cards, and storage devices. |
| RAM | Random-access memory consists of tiny electrical circuits that dynamically store frequently used program instruction to increase speed of the system (volatile). |
| secondary storage | External/auxiliary memory such as a USB flash drive |
| primary storage | Main storage or memory that stores data for quick access by the computer's processor (RAM) |
| Central Processing Unit | CPU - the processor or brains of the computer where calculations take place |
| pseudocode | An informal method or writing algorithmic instructions that do not necessarily follow grammatical rules and syntax of a particular language. |
| sequential execution | Program instructions are executed one at a time, in order. |
| unsolvable problem | A problem that cannot be solved using any algorithm. |
| Halting Problem | There cannot be a program that will determine which computer programs will halt (or exit) and which programs will go on forever (infinite loop). |
| undecidable problem | Where no algorithm can be made that always leads to a correct yes or no answer. |
| scalability | How well do algorithms perform at increasingly larger scales. |
| Big-O Notation | A mathematical concept used by computer scientists to determine how well algorithms scale. Performances classified into different categories. |
| sequential search | A linear search method of finding a targeted value within a list, looking one at a time until a match is found. |
| binary search | A method of searching by dividing the search interval in half each time. |
| logarithmic behavior | Doubling the size of a problem only requires one extra unit of work. |
| brute forcing | Trial and error method used to decode encrypted data such as passwords. |
| Moore's Law | Gordon Moore accurately predicted that the number of transistors that could fit on a chip would roughly double every one to two years. |
| heuristics | A method for deriving an approximate solution - Rules of Thumb but not guaranteed an accurately correct answer. |
| distributed computing | Computers that interact with each other in order to achieve a common goal. |
| botnets | A network of private computers infected with a malicious software and controlled as a group without the owners knowing. |
| bitcoin mining | The processing of transactions in the digital currency system, in which the records of current Bitcoin transactions, known as a blocks, are added to the record of past transactions, known as the blockchain. |