Glossary

Definitions of technical terms you will find in posts on this website.

Phishing: The practice of falsifying emails from reputable companies attempting to lure the receiver to enter personal information like credit card information, passwords, and bank account information.

Password Manager: An application designed to store and manage passwords in one unified safe location. A major benefit of a password manager is the need to remember one strong password to authenticate into many websites or applications because the password manager manages authentication.

Encryption: A security practice that converts plain text data into code that’s not readable without decryption. Encryption can be used on local computer storage and protecting personal data transmitted over the internet.

Cookies: Small pieces of data, stored in text files, that are stored on your computer or other device when websites are loaded in a browser. They are widely used to ‘remember’ you and your preferences, either for a single visit (through a ’session cookie’) or for multiple repeat visits (using a ‘persistent cookie’). They ensure a consistent and efficient experience for visitors, and perform essential functions such as allowing users to register and remain logged in.

2-Step Verification: 2-step verification, two-factor authentication, also known as multi-factor authentication adds a second method of verifying who are when authenticating into your account using your mobile phone in addition to your password.

Malware: A group of malicious software posing threats to computer systems. Malware can be in the form of virus, ransomware, spyware, adware, and more used to steal personal data.

Ransomware: When hackers use malware installed to your system to encrypt the drives with your data taking control of your data. The encryption locks your data making it impossible for you to access or control without having the decryption key. After the hacker takes control of your computer data, they demand a ransom in the form of payment typically using crypto currency because it is untraceable.