| A glossary of words and terms |
| Please select a letter below to view the definitions for that letter. |
|
Last Updated: 2 April 2009
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| Account institution |
| Is a body that maintain EFT accounts where a customer can transfer funds from. This not only includes financial institutions like Banks, but includes organizations such as Telstra or Australia Post or large retailers. This is distinct from organizations that maintain ‘biller accounts’. |
| Active archiving |
| This is the process of removing reference data that is not frequently accessed from an overloaded database and keeping it in an archive so that it can be retrieved easily when needed. |
| Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation (ADPCM) |
| This is a form of Pulse Code Modulation where audio signal is represented as digital data. ADPCM is a compression technique which records only the difference between samples and adjust the coding scale to fit both large and small differences. |
| American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) |
| This is the basis of character sets used in computers where English characters are coded as numbers from 0 to 127. |
| Angel |
| In relation to venture capital, an investor in a start-up company (particularly an information technology company). Angels usually have prior business experience, managerial skills and capital to invest. |
| Applet |
| A small software application program. |
| Application Service Provider (ASP) |
| Third-party businesses that provide software-based services and solutions from a central data center to users across a wide network area. For example, ASPs may run web sites that are used by other companies to accept credit card payments. This is a good way for companies to outsource their information technology needs. |
| Asymmetric cryptography |
| A Cryptographic method using two keys (or codes) known as a Private Key and Public Key. To encrypt messages, the public key of the recipient is used. To decrypt messages, the recipient uses their unpublished private key. |
| Asynchronous |
| Communications where data can be transmitted at any time. |
| AT command set |
| This is the standard language for controlling modems recognised by all personal computer modems. |
| Audit |
| An examination or review of companies' accounts, financial situations, or ways of conducting activities and businesses. |
| Authentication |
| Identification and verification of an individual or entity as the person he, she or it claims to be. Usually based on a username and a password. |
| B2B |
| Business to business. |
| B2C |
| Business to consumer. |
| B2G |
| Business to government. |
| Backbone provider |
| This is the provider of high-speed transmission lines to ISPs which then provide internet access to Internet users. As opposed to ISPs, a backbone provider allows access to lines that connect ISPs to each other. As a result, ISPs are able to offer higher speeds Internet access. |
| Biller account |
| Is an EFT account maintained by account institutions for the sole purpose of paying bills given by the account institution. In other words to record amounts owed or paid by its customer to the account institution for the provision of goods or services by the account institution (e.g. an account with the electricity company for the sole purpose of paying the electricity bill). |
| Biometric identifiers |
| are unique personal characterstics (such as the retina in the eye, fingerprints) that are used to authenticate a person. |
| Bookmark |
| This is a user's reference to documents or webpages so that users can quickly locate and refer to the documents or webpages again. It is usually in the form of a URL. |
| Browse |
| To browse means to view or flip through documents or webpages. A web browser allows users to view contents of the web pages and navigates from one page to another. |
| C2G |
| Consumer to government. |
| Cache or Caching |
| Cache or caching is where recently accessed data is stored in a small fast memory so that they can be quickly access again. |
| Carriage service provider |
| Defined in the Telecommunications Act 1997 (Cth) as an entity that supplies a listed carriage service to the public using one or more Network Units owned by one or more Carriers. A carriage Service Provider must be licensed. |
| Carrier |
| Defined in the Telecommunications Act 1997 (Cth) as any owner of a Network Unit that is used to supply a carriage service to the public. Carriers must be licensed. There are currently over 50 registered carriers. The largest are Telstra, Cable & Wireless Optus, Vodafone and AAPT. |
| Certification Authority |
| Is a trusted third party business entity that has implemented appropriate security mechanisms and technologies to register public keys to particular identities. Certification authorities are expected to comply with NEAC policies and standards. |
| Chat room |
| A virtual room where real time conversation takes place in a text mode. Chat rooms are usually public although private chat rooms are offered on some websites. |
| Click-and-mortar |
| A company or business that operates in both the physical and the Internet world. |
| Clickstream data |
| Navigational information about an internet user such as the address of the last web page browsed, server address, top level domain name and type of browser used. |
| Click-through |
| See Clickwrap Contract. |
| Clickwrap Contract (also clickthrough or click-on contract) |
| An agreement made on the internet by one party reading through the terms and "clicking" on a button provided to accept the terms of the contract. Common in all internet, e-commerce and online transactions. |
| Content Delivery Network (CDN) |
This is a network of servers which deliver web pages to users based on their geographical locations, the origins of the web pages, and the content delivery servers. The CDN will copy pages of a web site to a network of servers, caching the contents of the pages, and redirect users' requests from the original site servers to a server in the CDN closest to the users in order to deliver the cached contents.
CDN can speed up content deliveries, especially those that involve high traffic and web sites that have global reach. |
| Content provider |
| Defined in the Telecommunications Act 1997 (Cth) as an entity using a listed carriage service to supply a ‘content service’ to the public. A content service includes a broadcasting service or online service whether for the provision of information, entertainment or educational material. A person operating a website is likely to be considered a content service provider. |
| Cookie |
A message given to a web browser by a webserver. The message is stored by the browser in a text file called cookie.txt. The message is then sent back to the server each time the browser requests a page from the server.
The main purpose of cookies is to identify users and prepare customised webpages for them. When a person enters a website using cookies, they may be asked to fill out a form providing information such as their name and interests. This information is packaged into a cookie and sent to the web browser which stores it for later use. The browser will send the cookie to the web server the next time the person enters the same website. The server can use this information to present users with custom webpages. For example, a person might see a welcome page with their name on instead of a generic welcome page.
The name "cookie" derives from UNIX objects called magic cookies. These are tokens that are attached to a user or program and change depending on the areas entered by the user or program. Cookies are also sometimes called persistent cookies because they typically stay in the browser for long periods of time. |
| Country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) |
| Each of these domains bears a two-letter country code, for example: .au (Australia), .br (Brazil), .ca (Canada), .kr (Korea), .za (South Africa). |
| Covert surveillance |
| This occurs where the subject of the surveillance is not aware that they are being monitored. |
| Cracking |
| Usually involves an unauthorised person with criminal intent accessing and modifying a system or program. |
| Cryptographic algorithm |
| An encryption algorithm using a key (ie a binary number typically between 40 to 128 bits in length). The greater the number of bits (cipher strength) the more key combinations and the longer it takes to break the code. The data is encrypted or locked by mathematically combining the bits in the key with the data bits. At the receiving end the key is used to unlock the code and restore the original data. |
| Cryptography |
| The conversion of data into a secret code for transmission over a public network. The original text (plaintext) is converted into a coded equivalent (ciphertext) via an encryption algorithm. The ciphertext is decoded (decrypted) at the receiving end and converted back into plaintext. |
| Cyber |
| A prefix used to describe new things or activities that are made possible by the wide spread of computers and access to the Internet. |
| Cyber stalking |
| The act of frequently giving unwanted attention to a person online with the intention of intimidating them or causing them to fear physical or mental harm. Cyber stalking is usually executed via e-mail. |
| Cyberspace |
| The internet may be considered as an imaginary area without limits within which people can communicate with each other, conduct research and shop. |
| Cybersquatting |
| The act of registering a domain name (without having a legitimate right or interest in it) with the intention of selling it to its rightful owner. For example, the National Heritage Trust successfully sued a company who registered the name www.sydneyoperahouse.net. |
| Cyberstuffing |
| Cyberstuffing is where a large number of metatags are embedded in a web site causing search engines to list the sites as having relevance to the keywords searched. Users may be directed to sites which in fact has little or no relevance to the keyword searched. |
| Data mining |
| Searching for hidden patterns in a group of data. Data mining software can help retail companies find customers with common interests. |
| Database |
| A set of related files created and managed by a database management system (DBMS). DBMSs can manage any form of data including text, images, sound and video. Database and file structures are determined by the software. |
| Database Management System (DBMS) |
| Software controlling the organization, storage, retrieval, security and integrity of data in a database. The DBMSs accepts requests from the application and instructs the operating system to transfer the appropriate data. |
| Datacasting |
| A service (other than a broadcasting service) that delivers information (in the form of data, text, speech, images or other form) using the broadcasting services bands to persons having equipment to receive that information. |
| Decrypt |
| To convert encrypted data back into its original form. See Cryptography, Encryption. |
| Deep hyperlinking |
| Linking directly to the content of another website and bypassing the home page containing advertising and information about the site owner. |
| Denial-of-service attack |
| A "denial-of-service" attack is used to describe a security breach to a computer system where legitimate users of a service are prevented from being able to use that service as expected. Denial-of-service attacks are typically deliberate, though in some instances may be accidental. Some types of denial-of-service attacks include: attempts to "flood" a network thereby preventing legitimate network traffic; attempts to disrupt connections between two machines thereby preventing access to a service; attempts to prevent a particular individual from accessing a service; and attempts to disrupt service to a specific system or person. Even though denial-of-service attacks do not usually result in the theft of information they can prove to be very costly, particularly in regards to the unplanned down time of the service. |
| Digital cash |
| An electronic payment system that allows a person to pay for goods or services by transmitting a number from one computer to another. Like the serial numbers on paper money, digital cash numbers are unique. Each one is issued by a bank and represents a specified sum of real money. |
| Digital certificate |
| An attachment to an electronic message used for security purposes. The most common use of a digital certificate is to verify that a user sending a message is who he, she or it claims to be and to provide the receiver with the means to encode a reply. An individual wishing to send an encrypted message applies for a digital certificate from a Certificate Authority. |
| Digital coin |
| A message signed or encrypted with its private key. The message identifies the bank identity, its internet address, the amount of the coin, its serial number and an expiry date (if applicable). |
| Digital signature |
| A digital code attached to an electronically transmitted message to identify the sender. A digital signature uses an algorithm with two different but mathematically related cryptographic keys: one key for creating a digital signature or transforming data into a seemingly unintelligible form, and the other key for verifying a digital signature or returning the message to its original form. Like a written signature, the purpose of a digital signature is to authenticate the sender of the message and plays an important role in e-commerce. |
| Digital wallet (e-wallet) |
| A secure software program on a bank’s computer or on a personal computer containing a customer’s financial and account details (including any digital cash balance). |
| Disclaimer |
A statement noting that the article and information reflects the author's opinions and point of view, and not necessarily those of the company running the web site through which the article is displayed.
Disclaimers are also used in an attempt to avoid legal liability. |
| Discrete logarithm |
| The basis of the digital signature standard. |
| DNS parking |
| A service provided by web hosts which secures domain names for future use by the web hosts' customers. Other companies or individuals cannot, therefore, register for that same domain names. |
| Document Object Model (DOM) |
| DOM determines what attributes are associated with text, images, links or other objects in web pages, and how they can be manipulated. They can access the contents of HTML and change the web pages' appearance after users download them. |
| Domain name |
| The human-friendly form of an internet address. For example, the domain name for Oz NetLaw is www.oznetlaw.net. Domain names are easier for users to identify and remember than the long series of numbers that actually make up an internet address. |
| Domain Name System (DNS) |
| Name resolution software enabling users to locate computers on a UNIX network or the Internet (TCP/IP network) by domain name. |
| E-commerce |
|
Conducting business online (eg buying and selling products using an electronic payment system).
|
| Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment (EBPP) |
This is the system by which companies bill customers and collect payments over the Internet. There are two types of models:
i) Direct model, where bills are delivered through the companies' own web site or a third-party's site.
ii) Consolidator model, where bills are delivered to a single web site for customers' access and payments. |
| Electronic Commerce Modelling Language (ECML) |
| A digital wallet standard to ensure websites accepting e-wallet payments will be compatible with e-wallets from different developers. |
| Electronic Company Registration (ECR) |
| A system provided by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission for registering a company online. ECR uses smart cards and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) to generate and authenticate digital signatures and includes an electronic payment facility. |
| Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) |
| The transfer of information from one company to another using a network. |
| Electronic Magazine (E-zine) |
| An E-zine is an Internet form of a printed magazine. |
| Electronic mail (E-mail) |
E-mail is where messages are transmitted from one computer user to another over communications networks or modems over telephone lines. Messages can also be sent to more than one user at the same time, called broadcasting.
All ISPs and online services provide email services. |
| Electronic signature |
| A generic term describing all methods by which a person can sign an electronic message or record. Different forms created by different technologies exist including: a name typed at the end of an email message by the sender; a personal identification number (ie PIN used for bank accounts); a digitised image of a hand written signature attached to electronic documents; a biometric-based identifier (eg a fingerprint or retinal scan) or a Digital Signature. |
| Elliptical curve |
| A new PKI technology. |
| Encryption |
| A process used to scramble data and convert it into a secret code before transmission. |
| Equity |
| Fairness and natural justice. This is a settled and formal system of doctrines and rules, founded on distinct principles that supplement, aid, or override common and statute law. |
| Escrow |
| Holding on trust by a third party until a condition is fulfilled. For example, the source code to a particular computer program may be held in escrow until the satisfactory completion of a contract for services. Often deeds or shares are held in escrow. |
| E-wallet |
| See Digital wallet. |
| Extranet |
| An intranet partially accessible to authorised outsiders. Whereas an intranet resides behind a firewall and is accessible only to people who are members of the same company or organisation, an extranet provides various levels of accessibility to outsiders. Giving a valid username and password provides access to outsiders. |
| Filter |
(1) A program that accepts a certain type of data as input, transforms it in someway and then outputs the transformed data. For example, a program that sorts names is a filter because it accepts the names in unsorted order, sorts them, and then outputs the sorted names. Utilities allowing the import or export of data are also sometimes referred to as filters.
(2) A pattern through which data is passed. Only data matching the pattern is allowed to pass through the filter. |
| Firewall |
| A system designed to prevent unauthorised access to or from a private network. Firewalls can be implemented in both hardware and software, or a combination of both. Firewalls are frequently used to prevent unauthorised internet users from accessing private networks connected to the internet (eg intranets). All messages entering or leaving the intranet pass through the firewall which examines each message and blocks those that do not meet the specified security criteria. |
| Flame |
| A searing email or newsgroup message in which the writer attacks another participant in overly harsh and often personal terms. |
| Forum |
An online discussion group which functions like a bulletin board where users with common interests can submit postings and messages for all the others to read and discuss.
See also newsgroup. |
| Frame |
| A particular format for a webpage. Frames enable linking by importing a framed segment of a third party's site into a local website for viewing. |
| Gatekeeper Public Key Authority (GPKA) |
| A Commonwealth authority responsible for supervising Commonwealth government PKI, developing PKI standards, assisting agencies in PKI implementation, liasing with industry bodies and PKI vendors and overseeing Gatekeeper accreditation. |
| gTLD (generic Top-Level Domain) |
| A general-purpose domain name on the internet. In 1997, seven new gTLDs were created: .firm, .store, .web, .arts, .rec, .info and .nom. It was suggested the international TLDs (ie .com, .net and .org) be redefined as gTLDs. |
| Hacking |
| To modify a program (usually in an unauthorised manner) by changing the code itself. |
| Hit |
Hit has 2 possible meanings:
i) Where there are matches to the criteria that users set out, usually done by a search engine.
ii) The retrieval of any web pages or graphics from the web server. |
| Home page |
| This is the main page or the top-level entry point of a Web site. The home page usually consists of links to other pages of a web site. |
| Hot link |
| This is a mechanism where two applications are linked together so that changes to one will affect the other. For example, hot links can be established between documents and databases or spreadsheets. |
| Hot spot |
| Any area on the screen which is sensitive to mouse clicks, and will trigger some action or bring users to different web pages and information. |
| Hyperlink |
| An element (word, picture, icon, button) in an electronic document that links to another place in the same document or to a different document. A user clicks on the hyperlink to follow the link. Hyperlinks are an essential ingredient of all hypertext systems including the World Wide Web. |
| Hyperstitial |
| This technology allows the presentation of full-screen advertisements during the time that web pages are loading. They are harder to avoid than banner advertisements. |
| Hypertext |
| A special type of database system, invented by Ted Nelson in the 1960s, in which objects (text, pictures, music, programs etc) can be creatively linked to each other. Selecting an object will display all other objects linked to it. It enables movement from one object to another even though they may have different forms. The icons used to view associated objects are called the Hypertext links or buttons. |
| HyperText Markup Language (HTML) |
| The common authoring language used to create documents on the World Wide Web. HTML defines the structure and layout of a Web document by using a variety of coding tags and attributes. |
| ICQ |
| ("I Seek You") is an Internet tool that enables real time communications over the Internet, regardless of the application, be it chat, voice, message board, data conferencing, file transfer or Internet games. ICQ alerts a user in real time when friends and associates with ICQ have logged on the Internet. |
| Image map |
| A graphical image which contains more than one 'hot spot' which act as links to other different web pages and information. |
| Impression |
| This refers to advertisements shown on a web page, which can be used to measure the number of views an advertisement has received. For example, if a web page shows four advertisements, then there are four impressions. |
| Incubator |
| A company who offers assistance and support to develop a new business idea usually in return for an equity stake in the startup company. |
| Information superhighway |
High-speed global communications network that can carry data, voice, video and other services around the world using technology such as the satellite, optical fibre and cellular telecommunications. Suitably equipped computers can access such information.
The Internet is often referred to as the information superhighway. |
| Information Technology Infrastructure Library |
| A set of best practices standards for information technology service management. They provide businesses with methods of organising the system and network management departments of large organisations. |
| Infringe |
| This is when individuals or companies violate the law or violate the rights of another persons or companies. |
| Inlining |
| A display of graphic files from another web site on one's own web site. |
| Innovation Patent |
| Refer to patent |
| Integer factorisation |
| One of the most popular current commercial digital signature mechanisms. |
| Intellectual property |
| The ownership and control over ideas and virtual representation of those ideas. This often refers to intangible property rights such as trademarks, patents and copyrights. |
| Interface |
| A boundary between two systems where they communicate with each other. |
| Internet |
| A world wide interconnected group of computer networks connecting individuals, academic, research, government, commercial and social institutions. |
| Internet content host |
| A person who hosts content on the internet. |
| Internet Discussion Site (IDS) |
| Allow participants to exchange or disseminate information, opinions and advice about financial securities through a website. IDSs may be considered an investment advice business requiring a licence under the Corporations Law. |
| Internet Dumping |
| Internet Dumping occurs when a user’s modem is disconnected from their usual dial-up number and reconnected to an international (0011) or premium rate phone number, such as 190 numbers [without their knowledge]. Most commonly it occurs on adult sites. In many cases people are not aware that they have been dumped until they receive an unusually high phone bill. |
| Internet Names Australia (INA) |
| INA administers domain name registrations in the .com.au space and licenses domain names to eligible and approved entities. These entities do not own the domain names, but merely have a right to use them in accordance with the terms and conditions set down by INA. |
| Internet Service Provider (ISP) (also internet access provider) |
An organisation providing an entity or person with access to the internet. Small ISPs provide service via modem and ISDN while larger ISPs offer private line hookups. Customers are generally billed at a fixed rate per month but other charges may apply. For a fee, a website can be created and maintained on an ISP server, allowing a small organisation to have a presence on the Web with its own domain name.
Large internet service providers such as America Online (AOL) and Microsoft Network (MSN) provide proprietary databases, forums and services. |
| Interstitial |
| Advertisements which appear on different browser windows while a web page is loading. |
| Intranet |
| A network based on TCP/IP protocols belonging to an organisation accessible only by members of the organisation or those with authorisation. An intranet looks and acts like any other website but the firewall surrounding an intranet fends off unauthorised access. Like the internet, intranets are used to share information. |
| IP |
(1) Internet Protocol. IP specifies the format of packets of data sent over the internet and the addresses for those packets. Most networks combine IP with a higher-level protocol called Transport Control Protocol (TCP) which establishes a virtual connection between a destination and a source.
(2) Intellectual Property. |
| Keyword advertising |
| See Meta ad. |
| Link |
| See Hyperlink. |
| Linking site |
| See Hyperlink. |
| Listed carriage service |
| Defined under the Telecommunications Act 1997 (Cth) as a service for carrying communications by means of guided or unguided electromagnetic energy between two or more points at least one of which is Australia. |
| Mail server |
| A computer in a network providing post office facilities. It stores incoming mail for distribution to users and forwards outgoing mail through the appropriate channel. The term may also be used to refer to software that performs this service which resides on a machine with other services. |
| Message Integrity |
| The communication sent is the same as the communication received. |
| Meta ad |
Also known as Keyword advertising.
This refers to advertisements which are related to particular search terms and appear on the results pages of the search. This allows advertisers to target a specific audience, and are usually used in search engines. |
| Metadata |
| Information about data. Metadata describes how and when a particular set of data was collected, by whom it was collected and how it is formatted. |
| Metatag |
| Information about a website which is attached to the website usually in HTML. Metatags are not seen by web viewers but help a search engine to categorise a website. Inappropriate words or descriptions in metatags are sometimes used by website owners to direct internet traffic to their site. In some situations this may amount to a breach of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) |
| Mezzanine funding |
| In relation to venture capital, pre-Initial Public Offering (IPO) funding (typically between $10 million to $50 million and up). Mezzanine funds are used to prepare for IPO (including any strategic acquisitions). |
| Miniportals |
| See Verti-port. |
| Moral Rights |
| A specific type of intellectual property right which is personal to the author of an original work. Moral rights exist in addition to the economic rights (eg copyright) attached to the work, and remain with the author even after the economic rights are transferred to another party. |
| Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) |
| This is a specification that can format non-text data or non-ASCII messages, such as graphics, audio and fax, so that they can be sent over the Internet. Many web browsers and e-mails providers support MIME. |
| NEAC |
| The National Electronic Authentication Council facilitates the uptake by consumers and business of authentication and e-commerce technologies. It aims at bringing about quality labels to best practice organisations and systems, endorsing industry developed codes of practice, recognising relevant industry standards, and raising awareness of authentication technologies. |
| Network Unit |
| The line links and transmission facilities necessary to establish telecommunication connections between distinct places. |
| Newsgroup |
| A message board on the internet. Also known as internet discussion groups. They begin by one member posting an initial query or comment to which other members reply. The discussion forms a chain of related postings called a message thread. |
| Offer Information Statement (OIS) |
| In relation to funding, states what the funds being raised are required for and discloses material information already known to the corporation. It advises investors of the risks of investing without a prospectus and the desirability of obtaining professional investment advice. It includes audited accounts. |
| Online |
| Being connected to the internet or being connected in such a way that it is possible to receive data from other sources. |
| Overt surveillance |
| This occurs where adequate notice has been given to the subject of the surveillance and the subject is aware that he/she is being monitored. |
| Patent |
| A legal monopoly granted by the Commissioner of Patents or by staff of IP Australia acting under delegated authority from the Commissioner that allows the patent owner to prevent others from using, selling, or otherwise exploiting the patented invention or innovation without the permission of the patent owner. (See Patents fact sheet) |
| PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) |
| A handheld device combining computing, telephone/fax, networking features and in some cases wireless access to the internet using WAP. |
| Persistent URL (PURL) |
| An intermediary URL for a real URL. When a PURL is entered, the browser will send a page request to a PURL server which then links to the real URL of a page. Although the real URL of a web page may change, the PURL is still the same. |
| Personal Identification Number (PIN) |
| A password used for identification. The term originated within the banking industry. |
| PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) |
| A system of authenticating electronic messages by using digital signatures and digital certificates issued by certification Authorities. |
| Plagiarism |
| This is when a person uses someone else's ideas or words as his/her own thoughts without acknowledging the source. |
| Platform for Privacy Preference (P3P) |
| A specification that allows web browsers to automatically understand privacy practices of web sites. The browsers read the policy and then transmit certain information to sites based on the users' preferences. |
| Porn-napping |
| This happens when online pornographers re-register lapsed internet domain names for publishing sexually explicit content. The pornographers then offer to sell back the address at an exorbitant price so the previous domain name owner can protect its reputation. |
| Private key |
| The private part of a two-part public key cryptography system. The private key is kept secret and is never transmitted over a network. |
| Public key |
| The published part of a two-part public key cryptography system. Only the owner knows the private part or key. |
| Public key pair |
| Two large prime numbers called the public key and the private key. These numbers are related to each other mathematically. It is computationally infeasible to determine the private key value by only knowing the public key value. |
| Purchased Payment Facility (PPF) |
| Defined in the Payment Systems (Regulation) Act 1998 (Cth) as a financial product that stores value. For example, Smart Cards and other Stored Value Cards. |
| Remailers |
| Allow a person to keep their email address confidential by providing an alternative path through which the message is delivered to its final destination. |
| Reverse domain name hijacking |
| Using any intellectual property rights principles in bad faith in an attempt to deprive a registered domain name holder of a domain name. This is usually an attempt by a more formidable entity to take an address away from a less powerful, but otherwise legitimate, owner. |
| Rights Management Information (RMI) |
| Information attached to or embodied in digital material identifying the material, its author or the copyright owner and any terms of use. |
| RSA algorithm |
| One of the most popular current commercial digital signature mechanisms. |
| Screen Scraping (or Content Aggregation) |
| Taking or pulling information off one or more websites and aggregating it onto another website. The sites are usually not linked in any way. An aggregation website allows a user to place all of their financial and other details on one website as opposed to accessing several websites using several passwords. Screen scraping takes place without the permission or knowledge of the owner of the website from which the information is taken. |
| Secure Electronic Transaction Protocol (SET) |
| A standard protocol from MasterCard and Visa for securing online credit card payments via the internet. It is a three-way transaction involving the user, merchant and bank using SET protocols. Credit card data and a digital certificates (for authentication) are stored in a plug-in to the user's Web browser. A SET enabled server passes encrypted payment information from the merchant to the bank. Approval is electronically sent to the merchant. |
| Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) |
| The leading security protocol on the internet. When an SSL session is started, the server sends its public key to the browser, which the browser uses to send a randomly-generated secret key back to the server in order to have a secret key exchange for that session. Developed by Netscape, SSL has been merged with other protocols and authentication methods into a new protocol known as Transport Layer Security (TLS). |
| Securities hawking |
| The offering of financial securities for issue or sale by unsolicited telephone call or meeting. |
| Shrinkwrap contract |
| The terms of agreement are contained on or in a shrinkwrapped package. These terms usually provide that if the customer opens the shrinkwrap package, he or she is deemed to have accepted the contract. They are common in software packages and may not be enforceable in certain cases. |
| Site map |
| A hierarchical model of a web page which shows the entire site's contents in a diagram so that users can navigate the site and find information more easily. |
| Smart Card |
| A stored value card with a built-in microprocessor and memory used for identification or financial transactions. When inserted into a reader, it transfers data to and from a central computer. It is more secure than a magnetic stripe card and can be programmed to self-destruct if an incorrect password is entered too many times. As a financial transaction card, it can be loaded with digital money and used like a travellers cheque, except that variable amounts of money can be spent until the balance is zero. |
| Software licensing |
This allows individuals or groups to use a software application. Some software licenses may allow programs to be used on different computers but not simultaneously. However, most licenses only allow the individual to use the program on one computer.
Usually, copies of the software cannot be made other than for backup purposes. |
| Software piracy |
This is where computer software is illegally copied. The copied software is usually given to friends or sold to customers.
Illegal commercial programs available to the public are called warez. |
| Spamming |
| Sending unwanted or unsolicited emails (usually advertisements) to a large number of people, usually via mailing list or newsgroups. Electronic equivalent of junk mail. |
| Splash page or splash screen |
An initial page displayed by interactive software before users enter into the main content of the site. This usually contains logo or other things that are used to promote the company or its products, or may provide version information, author credits or copyright notices.
Some splash pages will automatically bring users to the main web site, others require users to click on a link in order to view the main contents. |
| Start-up |
| A company (generally technology or internet related) in the very early stages of development. |
| Stored Value Card (SVC) |
| A plastic card containing a microprocessor chip. The chip stores more information than a magnetic strip card and can perform simple computing operations. The SVC is inserted into a terminal with a read/write mechanism that allows information to pass between the card and terminal. A SVC does not require the merchant terminal to be hard wired to a computer network. |
| Sub judice |
| Under judicial deliberation; before a judge or court of law. |
| Surf |
| A type of web browsing where users can move from one page to another on the Internet searching for topics or information. |
| Tampering |
| This refers to the improper interference with property or facilities. |
| TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol) |
A communications protocol developed under contract with the US Department of Defence. Invented by Vinton Cerf and Bob Kahn, this de facto UNIX standard is the protocol of the Internet and has become the global standard for communications.
TCP provides transport functions ensuring the total amount of bytes sent is received at the other end.
TCP/IP is a routable protocol and the IP part of TCP/IP provides the routing capability. In a routable protocol, all messages contain the address of the destination station and the address of a destination network. This allows TCP/IP messages to be sent to multiple networks within an organization or around the world, hence its use in the internet. |
| Tort |
| Damage, injury, or a wrongful act done wilfully, negligently, or in circumstances involving strict liability (not involving breach of contract) for which a civil suit can be brought. |
| Trojan horse |
| A destructive program masquerading as a benign application. Unlike viruses, Trojan horses do not replicate themselves but they can be just as destructive. One of the most insidious types of Trojan horse is a program that claims to rid a computer of viruses but instead introduces viruses onto the computer. Some Trojan horses are able to be controlled remotely and are referred to as Remote Controlled Trojan Horses (RCTHs). |
| Uniform Resource Locator (URL) |
| The global address of documents and other resources on the World Wide Web. The first part of the address indicates what protocol to use, and the second part specifies the IP address or domain name where the resource is located. The most common protocol for URL is http, for example http://www.oznetlaw.net although others such as ftp exist. |
| User group |
| Individuals with a common interest joining together as a group to exchange ideas and get free expert advice. |
| Verti-port |
Also known as miniportals.
This refers to a web site focusing on specific topics, taget industries or groups. |
| Viral marketing |
| Any marketing techniques that induce the spreading of files, especially digitised materials over the Internet, between and among consumers, which increases the market reach of products without significant additional marketing costs. |
| Web browser (or browser) |
| A software application used to locate and display webpages. The two most common browsers are Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer. |
| Web portal |
| Web sites that offer a wide variety of services such as emails, forums, search engines, and online shopping facilities. |
| Web server |
| A computer that delivers (or serves up). Every web server has an IP and possibly a domain name. For example, entering the URL http://www.pcwebopedia.com/index.html in a browser will send a request to the server whose domain name is pcwebopedia.com. The server then retrieves the page named index.html and sends it to the browser. |
| Webcast |
| Broadcasting information via the Internet, particularly on the World Wide Web. |
| Webcasting |
| This involves using the Internet, and in particular the World Wide Web, to broadcast information by transmitting encoded video to multiple users who can receive the same contents at the same time. |
| Webpage |
| A document on the World Wide Web. A URL identifies every webpage. |
| Website (or site) |
| A location on the World Wide Web. Each website contains a home page, which is usually the first page users see when they enter the site. The home page sets out the main directory to other parts of the site. |
| Website host |
| A commercial web server holding a customer's webpage or website. Many ISPs will host a personal webpage at no additional cost above the monthly service fee. Multi-page commercial websites are hosted at differing prices. Typically, the customer's registered domain name is used. |
| Wireless Access Protocol (WAP) |
| A secure protocol allowing users to access information instantly via handheld wireless devices such as mobile phones, pagers, two-way radios and PDAs. |
| World Wide Web (www or Web) |
| A system of Internet servers supporting specially formatted documents. Documents are formatted using a common language called HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) that supports links to other documents, as well as graphics, audio, and video files. This means people can browse other servers and look at other documents formatted in the common language very easily. Not all internet servers support www. |
| X 500 directory |
| An X500 directory is called a Directory Information Base (DIB) or white pages. The program that maintains the DIBs is called a Directory Server Agent (DSA). A Directory Client Agent (DCA) is used to search DSA sites for names and addresses. It provides a hierarchical structure fitting the world's classification system: countries, states, cities, streets, houses, families, etc. The goal is to have a directory that can be used globally. |
| X 509 Certificate |
| A widely used specification for digital certificates. |