CTO Tech Blog

When I started working in the computer industry the term “crash” had a very specific meaning that has now come to encompass just about any computer related problem.  Early computer hard disks were large units about the size of a filing cabinet.  Data was stored on 16 inch diameter aluminum platters coated with iron oxide that could be magnetized by spinning them under a recording head.  This head floated on a cushion of air while in use, but a certain amount of vibration or contamination in the air would cause them to touch the platter or “crash”.  Since the outward effect of a head crash is the same as many other computer failures from a user’s point of view the term “crash” has become the defacto standard of description.  There are many other terms that are not as familiar that I’d like to try to shed some light on.

Malware, mentioned in a previous post, is a term that encompasses a group of malicious or unwanted software.  I would think of malware as anything you didn’t mean to install on your computer, but got there anyway.  Malware rarely performs any function that is to the benefit of the user and includes the following:

·         Virus – Describes software that, when run, replicates itself to other locations

·         Worm – Describes software that actively replicates itself over a network

·         Mass mailer – Is software that sends email to large distribution lists often taken from a user’s email program

·         Trojan – Can be found in many forms, but will always entice the user to run it by misleading them.  For example; a user could receive an email with an executable program that is supposed to be a Christmas greeting, but in fact contains a virus

·         Rootkit – Is a set of tools which is installed on a compromised computer and is used by hackers to control it without the permission on the user

·         Back door – Describes a program that allows a hacker to bypass the security on a compromised computer

·         Spyware – Describes any software that collects and transmits information about a user, something a user has typed or their computer usage habits.

·         Hacker – A person who uses malware

In the world of email there are a number of terms used, many of which I spoke of in my blog on spam.  Here are a few common ones:

·         Relaying – Sending mail to someone through a third party to disguise the source

·         Spoofing – The use of someone else’s email address as the “reply to” address

·         Directory harvesting – Many email messages are sent to random addresses to see which ones go through (are valid) and which don’t for the purpose of creating valid email address lists

 These are but a few of the common terms used in computing.  If you’ve heard a term and wonder about its meaning or origin please post a comment.