Definition | Term |
Program that displays an online advertisement in a banner or pop-up window on Web pages, e-mail, or other Internet services. | Adware |
program that attempts to remove spam before it reaches a user’s inbox. | Anti-spam programs |
Program that protects a computer against viruses by identifying and removing any computer viruses found in memory, on storage media, or on incoming files. | Antivirus program |
Basic input/output system; firmware that contains the computer's startup instructions. | BIOS |
Process of turning on a computer that has been powered off completely. | Cold Boot |
Type of user interface in which a user types commands or presses special keys on the keyboard (such as function keys or key combinations) to enter data and instructions. | Command- line interface |
to shrink the size of a file. | Compressed files/zipped |
potentially damaging a computer program that affects, or infects a computer negatively by altering the way the computer works without the user’s knowledge or permission. | Computer virus |
Program that runs the same on multiple operating systems. | Cross platform |
Reorganizing a disk so that the files are stored in contiguous sectors, thus speeding up disk access and the performance of the entire computer. | Defragmenting |
Program that compiles technical information about a computer's hardware and certain system software programs and then prepares a report outlining any identified problems. | Diagnostic utility |
Utility that reorganizes the files and unused space on a computer's hard disk so that the operating system accesses data more quickly and programs run faster. | Disk defragmenter |
Utility that searches for and removes unnecessary files. | Disk scanner |
Disk Operating System. | DOS |
Small program that tells an operating system how to communicate with a specific device. | Driver |
The process of encoding data and information to an form. | Encryption/decryption |
Computer that has duplicate components so it can continue to operate when one of its main components fail. Two hard drives. | Fault tolerant computer |
Utility that performs functions related to file management. | File manager |
Audio editing software feature designed to enhance audio quality. | Filters |
Specific named location on a storage medium that contains related documents. | Folder |
Type of user interface that allows a user to interact with software using text, graphics, and visual images, such as icons. | Graphical user interface (GUI) |
core of an operating system that manages memory and devices, maintains the computer's clock, starts programs, and assigns the computer's resources. | Kernel |
short for malicious software, program that act without the user’s knowledge and deliberately alter a computer’s operations | Malware |
Remaining in memory while a computer is running. | Memory resident |
Employee who configures, install, and maintains LANs, WAN, intranets, and | Network administrator |
Instructions that remain on a hard disk until they are needed. | Nonresident |
Set of programs containing instructions that work together to coordinate all the activities among computer hardware devices. | Operating system |
Private combination of characters associated with a user name that allows access to certain computer resources. | Password |
Program that assesses and reports information about various computer resources and devices. | Performance monitor |
Program that warns or blocks you from potentially fraudulent or suspicious Web sites. | Phishing |
Set of programs containing instructions that coordinates all the activities among computer hardware resources. | Platform |
Filtering program that stops pop-up ads from displaying on Web pages. | Pop-up blocker |
Utility program that causes a display device's screen to show a moving image or blank screen if no mouse activity occurs for a specified time. | Screen saver/ghosting |
Icon on desktop that provides a user with immediate access to a program or file. | Shortcut |
Allowing a single user to work on two or more programs that reside in memory at the same time. | Single user/multitasking |
Allowing only one user to run one program at a time. | Single user/single tasking |
program placed on a computer without the user's knowledge that secretly collects information about the user | Spyware |
Programs that control or maintain the operations of a computer and its devices. | System software |
Malicious-logic program named after the Greek myth that hides within or looks like a legitimate program. | Trojan horse |
The portion of software that defines how a user interacts with a computer, including how the user enters data and instructions and how information is displayed on the screen. | User interface |
Unique combination of characters, such as letters of the alphabet and/or numbers that identifies a specific user. | User name |
Type of system software that allows a user to perform maintenance-type tasks usually related to managing a computer, its devices, or its programs. | Utility program |
A portion of a storage medium, usually the hard disk that the operating system allocates to function as additional RAM. | Virtual memory |
Process of using the operating system to restart a computer. | Warm boot |
Malicious/logic program that copies itself repeatedly, using up system resources and possibly shutting down the system. | Worm |