Glossary
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Glossary
.app A container to hold the application and its resource files that is used on macOS.
.bat The extension type used with Microsoft batch scripts.
.dmg A disk image file format used with macOS that can be mounted to the filesystem.
.js The extension type used with JavaScript scripts.
.pkg An automated package installer used with macOS to install applications.
.ps1 The extension type used with Microsoft PowerShell scripts.
.py The extension type used with Python scripts.
.sh The extension type used with Linux Bash scripts.
.vbs
The extension type used with Microsoft Visual Basic scripts.
A power adapter that allows flexibility between
a power supply and a 20-­pin ATX motherboard connector and a 24-­pin ATX motherboard
connector.
20-­pin to 24-­pin motherboard adapter
32-­bit operating system
An operating system based on 32-­bit commands that can address
32-­bit memory locations.
3D printing Fabrication process also known as additive manufacturing, where
three-­dimensional products are created by adding thin layers of material on top of each other.
3D printers use filament or resin to create the products on a print bed.
64-­bit operating system An operating system based on 64-­bit commands that can address
64-­bit memory locations.
The naming convention used with DOS that requires the format of
eight letters for the name, a period, and then a three-­letter file identifier.
8.3 naming convention
802.11 The IEEE specification that defines the family of wireless network communications.
802.11a A wireless standard that operates at 5 GHz and provides wireless speeds up
to 54 Mbps.
802.11b A wireless standard that operates at 2.4 GHz and provides wireless speeds up
to 11 Mbps.
802.11ac (Wi-­Fi 5) A wireless standard that operates at 5 GHz and provides theoretical
wireless speeds of 6.9 Gbps. Also known as Wi-­Fi 5.
802.11ax (Wi-­Fi 6) A wireless standard that operates at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz and theoretical
wireless speeds of 9.6 Gbps. Also known as Wi-­Fi 6.
802.11g A wireless standard that operates at 2.4 GHz, is backward compatible with
802.11b, and provides data transmission of up to 54 Mbps.
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Glossary
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802.11n A wireless standard that can operate at 5 GHz or 2.4 GHz, is backward compatible
with earlier standards, and provides data transmission up to 600 Mbps.
A address
A DNS record type for an IPv4 host.
AAAA address
AC adapter
Called “quad A,” it’s a DNS record type for an IPv6 host.
Power adapter that plugs into a standard wall outlet and provides alternating
current (AC).
acceptable use policy (AUP)
A policy that establishes acceptable use of organization
resources for employees.
A list of conditions and actions applied to files and network
traffic that allows or denies the access.
access control lists (ACLs)
access control vestibule A small vestibule that prevents people from tailgating by
requiring the person to swipe to pass through the second door.
The device that allows wireless devices to talk to each other and the network.
It provides the functions of the network access as well as security monitoring.
access point
The access token, in Windows, contains the login information for a user,
including their groups and privileges.
access token
account lockout When a password has been entered wrong too many times, an account
will disallow future logons and lock out the user.
accounting In computer security, defined as tracking users and what they do with their
resource access.
A directory service that Microsoft clients use for centralized authentication, authorization, and accounting.
Active Directory (AD)
A feature in Active Directory that allows an Active Directory
object to be recovered from deletion.
Active Directory Recycle Bin
active hub A type of hub that uses electronics to amplify and clean up the signal before it is
broadcast to the other ports.
Web pages that serve interactive content through the use of
backend scripting with VBScript.
Active Server Pages (ASP)
ActiveSync A protocol used by Microsoft Exchange Server that allows users to access
email, calendar, contacts, and tasks from a mobile device such as a smartphone or a tablet.
Address Resolution Protocol (ARP)
A TCP/IP protocol used to resolve IP addresses to
MAC addresses.
administrative privileges
An elevated level of privileges that allows a user to perform
administrative tasks.
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Glossary
administrative shares Hidden network shares that are automatically created by the
operating system for administrative access.
An account on the operating system that has elevated privileges to
modify the operating system.
Administrator account
Administrators group A group on the Windows operating system that when joined elevates members’ privileges, to allow modification of the operating system.
Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption A symmetric block cipher encryption
standard used by the U.S. government and defined as a standard by NIST.
A class of processors that use the reduced instruction set
computing standard. ARM processors are often used in mobile devices because they can be
made smaller and produce less heat than x64/x86 processors.
Advanced RISC Machine (ARM)
A motherboard form factor that followed the
AT motherboard and that has given rise to many modern motherboard form factors, such as
micro ATX. The ATX motherboard was the first to feature the 20-­pin power supply connector
that today’s 24-­pin connector is based on.
Advanced Technology Extended (ATX)
AirDrop An Apple proprietary protocol used to quickly transfer files between iPhones,
iPads, and Macs.
Airplane mode
A mode that turns off all radios on a mobile device to comply with air
travel laws.
AirPrint Technology developed by Apple to allow iPhones and iPads to print wirelessly to
printers without the need to install a printer driver.
alkaline battery A type of battery that uses an alkaline electrolyte of potassium hydroxide
to produce electrical current.
Android Mobile operating system created by Google; one of the most popular smartphone
OSs in the world.
A special bag for electrical components that has a semi-­conductive surface
to both dissipate a charge and keep the bag’s surface at an even potential of voltage.
antistatic bag
An electrically conductive mat used for a work surface in which the potential for electrical static discharge is eliminated by draining static voltage with a 1 mega
ohm resistor.
antistatic mat
antistatic wrist strap A special strap that is fastened to your wrist in which the potential of
electrical static discharge is eliminated by draining static voltage with a 1 mega ohm resistor.
anycast
An IPv6 address that has been assigned to multiple nodes.
App Store An application that allows the download of applications from the cloud for
Apple devices.
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Glossary
Apple iTunes
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Apple’s online store for iOS-­compatible apps, comparable to the Google
Play store.
application crashes
The action of an application that quits unexpectedly on an
operating system.
Running applications such as legacy software or OSs, or
performing cross-­platform virtualization, within a virtual machine.
application virtualization
apps Applications that are installed and maintained by the Microsoft Store.
APT (Advanced Package Tool)
A package management system used with many popular
Linux distributions.
archive attribute The attribute or flag that defines if a file or folder should be backed up.
ARM The term used to describe the Advanced RISC Machine processor instruction set.
aspect ratio The relationship between the horizontal and vertical pixel counts that a
monitor can display.
Assembly language
A low-­level language used to program CPU instructions.
A tag associated with equipment in an organization to identify ownership and
track the asset to assist in inventory management.
asset tag
attrib.exe
A command-­line tool for setting file and folder attributes.
attributes File properties that allow a limited characterizing of files and folders based on
their functionality and use.
audit log
A security log that tracks who accessed a device or a service and when.
authentication The process of verifying user or computer credentials using one or multiple
factors.
authentication server Computer that analyzes user credentials and then grants or denies
access to resources on the network.
authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA)
Security framework for granting
and monitoring resource access control.
authorization The process of permitting or denying a user’s or computer’s actions based on
a ruleset.
automatic document feeder (ADF) Feature on a scanner or multifunction device (MFD) that
allows multiple pieces of paper to be placed in it so that all of them can be scanned in one job.
Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) IP addressing system that automatically configures a host with a nonroutable, private IP address in the event the host is unable to reach the
DHCP server.
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Glossary
backlight A lighting source for an LCD computer screen, placed behind or below the display.
backside bus (BSB) The optional communications pathway between the Northbridge and
the cache controller. When the backside bus is absent, the cache controller communicates
with the Northbridge over the frontside bus.
badge reader
A device that electronically reads an identification badge.
badging Scanning an employee ID at a multifunctional device (MFD) to authenticate
to the MFD.
A motherboard standard developed by Intel in
2005 designed to replace the ATX standard. It never took off and is not used today.
Balanced Technology eXtended (BTX)
barcodes An optical (image-based) representation of data using a special formatting of lines.
An image backup that allows the restoration of a server in the event of
failure and replacement of the server.
bare-­metal backup
baseband OS
The operating system on a mobile device that handles all wireless com-
munication.
baseband update
An update to a mobile phone’s baseband OS, which manages all wireless
communication.
Bash (an acronym for Bourne Again Shell)
An extremely popular shell that is installed on
Linux operating systems.
Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) A type of firmware that instructs the hardware to
use certain motherboard features. It also contains the initialization routine for bootup of
the computer.
A programming technique that allows for a routine to run over and over again
until a condition is met.
Basic loops
basis weight A measurement of the “heaviness” of paper. The number is the weight, in
pounds, of 500 17" × 22" sheets of that type of paper.
battery calibration A software process where a lithium-­ion battery is completely drained
so that it can be fully recharged.
A series of beeps from the computer’s speaker that indicate a problem. The
number, duration, and pattern of the beeps can sometimes tell you what component is causing the problem.
beep code
bias voltage The –600VDC charge that the developing roller acquires from the high-­voltage
power supply.
biometric authentication An authentication method based on human characteristics,
such as fingerprints, retinal patterns, and any other biological uniqueness. Often used as a
“something you are” authentication factor.
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Glossary
BitLocker
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A Windows feature that enables full volume-­level encryption.
blacklist A firewall security scheme where all computers are allowed to access the network
except for those on the blacklist. Also called a block list.
blackout
An electric event when there is a total loss of power.
Pieces of metal or plastic that come with a desktop case and cover the expansion
slot openings.
blanks
block storage Storage type where all data is stored in drives in equal-­sized blocks. It’s
generally more efficient and faster than file storage and is used in databases and storage
area networks.
Blu-­ray disc (BD)
An optical disc format that holds more information than a
standard DVD.
The Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) in Windows
or the rotating pinwheel in macOS are operating system crashes, often caused by the physical
memory failing. At other times, they are caused by bad programming, when an application
writes into a memory space reserved for the operating system or another application.
Blue Screen of Death (BSOD/pinwheel)
Bluetooth A popular standard used for short-­range wireless communication. Often used to
create a personal area network (PAN).
BNC connector
A type of coaxial connector used to attach stations to a Thinnet network.
bollard An architectural structure that acts as a visual indicator for a perimeter and protects an area from accidental damage.
Wireless printing technology introduced by Apple to allow for the sharing of
networked printers.
Bonjour
Boolean
A value that can either be true or false.
Boot Configuration Data (BCD) The configuration used by the current Windows bootloader
that was first introduced in Windows Vista.
botnet A group of computers that are organized and controlled for a malicious purpose.
Bourne shell
The original Linux/UNIX command shell; Bash is based on it.
branch logic
A logic that branches off based on a condition, usually facilitated by an if
statement.
brick To render a mobile phone (or other device) nonoperational, hence giving it the usefulness of a brick.
bring your own device (BYOD) A practice of allowing employees to use personal mobile
devices to access corporate electronic resources, such as email and cloud services.
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Glossary
broadcast address IP address that when used, the message is sent to all hosts on the
network segment.
brownout When the voltage dips below the nominal operating voltage for more than a few
seconds. Or, a drop in power but not a total loss of power.
browser redirection The action of redirecting a user visiting a website to a malicious site
for harvesting of credentials.
burner An optical drive so named because it employs a laser capable of intensities stronger
than what is used to read discs. It uses the laser to write, or “burn,” content to the disc.
burn-­in An artifact on the screen. No matter what you have on your screen, you can still
see the outlines of a different image. That image has been “burned” into the monitor.
bus A set of signal pathways that allows information and signals to travel between compo-
nents inside or outside of a computer. A computer contains three types of buses: the external
bus, the address bus, and the data bus.
bus topology A network topology where all computers are connected in a serial fashion.
A bus typically uses coaxial cable.
button cell
A special battery in the form of a coin and about the size of a quarter.
C/C++ A mid-­level object-­oriented language that requires compilation to machine
execution code.
A device used to connect a peripheral or other device to a computer using multiple
copper or fiber-­optic conductors inside a common wrapping or sheath.
cable
A physical lock designed to secure a laptop to a desk or other non-­movable
object, to deter laptop theft.
cable lock
A method of controlling cabling so that it is easy to manage when
cables need to be added, removed, or replaced.
cable management
Device that provides broadband Internet access using cable television lines.
cable modem
cable strippers Hardware tool that removes the plastic coating from copper wires in a cable.
cable tester
cable tie
Device used to identify problems with cables or to confirm their functionality.
A plastic fastener that can be used to bundle cabling together.
cache memory
A storage area for frequently used data and instructions.
The process by which a device such as a printer (or a scanner) is brought within
functional specifications.
calibration
caliper The thickness measurement of a given sheet of paper, which can affect a printer’s
feed mechanism.
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DNS record type that indicates an alias for a host. It allows for
a host to have multiple names.
canonical name (CNAME)
A web page that prevents a user from using a wired or wireless connection
until an acceptable use policy (AUP) is accepted or login credentials are provided.
captive portal
The printer belt placed around two small wheels or pulleys and attached to
the print head carriage. The carriage belt is driven by the carriage motor and moves the ­print
head back and forth across the page during printing.
carriage belt
A stepper motor used to move the print head back and forth on an impact
printer. Also called a carriage stepper motor.
carriage motor
Network access
method where computers listen on the line and transmit when the line is empty. In the event
of a packet collision, each sender will wait a random amount of time and re-­send.
Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD)
Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA)
The Ethernet access
method used by IEEE 802.11 wireless networking.
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
A sheet or file that determines the placement and style of
web page elements.
cat A command-­line tool on Linux that allows you to view the contents of a text file.
Cat 5
Twisted pair cabling capable of handling 100 Mbps transmissions up to 100 meters.
Cat 5e
Twisted pair cabling capable of handling 1 Gbps transmissions up to 100 meters.
Cat 6 Twisted pair cabling capable of handling 10 Gbps transmissions up to 55 meters or
1 Gbps up to 100 meters.
Cat 6a
Twisted pair cabling capable of handling 10 Gbps transmissions up to 100 meters.
cathode-­ray tube (CRT) A legacy-­style computer monitor that uses a large vacuum tube
and a high-­voltage electron gun to draw on a phosphorus-­coated screen.
cd A Linux and DOS command that changes the focus directory.
CD-­recordable (CD-­R)
A CD that can be written to one time.
CD-­rewritable (CD-­RW) A CD that can be written to, erased, and rewritten to multiple times.
CD-­ROM
A nonwritable and unerasable CD permanently pressed with digital data.
cellular location services Service provided by a mobile phone carrier that helps mobile
devices pinpoint locations by using communications with cell phone towers.
A community-supported Linux operating system that is compatible with Red Hat
packages and functionality.
CentOS
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Glossary
central processing unit (CPU) The main processing unit that calculates mathematics and
logic, it’s considered the “brain” of the computer.
centralized processing A network processing scheme in which all “intelligence” is found
in one computer and all other computers send requests to the central computer to be processed. Mainframe networks use centralized processing.
CERT organization
An organization dedicated to cybersecurity based at Carnegie
Mellon University.
certificate authority (CA)
A server that issues public/private key pairs on behalf of users
and computers.
A method to document evidence as it’s moved or control is transferred to
other individuals so that it remains valid evidence.
chain of custody
A group of people in an organization who oversee the change
management control process.
change advisory board
change management A process to standardize the methods and procedures used to handle
changes in the company.
channels In wireless communications, subdivisions within a frequency.
characters per second (cps)
A rating of how fast impact printers can produce output.
The wire or roller that is used to put a uniform charge on the EP drum
inside a toner cartridge.
charging corona
charging step The second step in the EP imaging process, at which a special wire or
roller in the toner cartridge gets a high voltage from the HVPS. It uses this high voltage to
apply a strong, uniform negative charge (around –600VDC) to the surface of the photosensitive drum.
The executive officer for an organization who oversees the
information technology for the organization.
chief information officer (CIO)
chipset The set of controller chips that monitors and directs the traffic on the motherboard
between the buses and components. See Northbridge and Southbridge.
chkdsk A Windows command-­line tool used to check the filesystem of a disk for errors.
chmod A Linux command that changes permissions on a file or folder.
chown A Linux command that changes the ownership of a file or folder.
Chrome OS
Cloud-­based operating system created by Google based on the Chrome
web browser.
cipher locks
A physical lock for a door that allows a combination or sequence of buttons
to allow entry.
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classless inter-­domain routing (CIDR) IP address spaces that do not correspond directly
to class A, B, or C networks. CIDR can be described as a “slash x” network. The x represents
the number of bits in the network address.
cleaning cycle A set of steps the inkjet printer goes through in order to purge the ­print
heads of any dried ink.
cleaning step The seventh and last step in the EP imaging process, at which excess toner is
scraped from the EP drum with a rubber blade.
client computer
A computer that requests resources from a network, often referred to as a
workstation.
client software Software that allows a device to request resources from a network.
A configuration where multiple OSs are managed on the client
machine and can be run simultaneously with the use of a hypervisor or virtual machine
manager (VMM).
client-­side virtualization
closed source
Describes software with code that is proprietary. Contrast with open source.
cloud computing Using the Internet to provide computing resources such as hardware and
other infrastructure, development platforms, and software applications.
cloud-­based Using the Internet to provide computing resources such as hardware and
other infrastructure, development platforms, and software applications.
CMOS battery A battery that provides power to the CMOS (or BIOS/UEFI) chip that
stores CMOS settings. A PC must retain certain settings when it’s turned off and its power
cord is unplugged.
coaxial cable A medium for connecting computer components that contains a center con-
ductor made of copper, surrounded by a plastic jacket, with a braided shield over the jacket.
code-­division multiple access (CDMA) 3G cellular communications standard developed
by Qualcomm and available only in the United States.
cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL)
A common type of backlight used in laptop
computers.
collision When two or more stations transmit onto a shared medium simultaneously, inval-
idating the data sent from each station.
Command Prompt The interactive prompt that allows commands to be interpreted and
executed in Windows.
commercial license
A software license that is granted or used for commercial purposes.
TCP/IP protocol that uses port 445. Designed by
Microsoft and used to share files and printers between computers, regardless of the operating
system that they run.
Common Internet File System (CIFS)
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Glossary
An intermediate code to which the .NET Framework
is compiled. The CLR is then just-­in-­time compiled to executable machine code.
Common Language Runtime (CLR)
communications interface
The method a device uses to communicate with other compo-
nents, such as SATA or PCIe.
community cloud A cloud that is shared by several clients with similar interests or objectives.
A digital optical disc medium commonly capable of holding from
650 MB to 700 MB of data, corresponding to 74 to 80 minutes of CD-­quality audio, which
is of higher quality than MP3 files.
compact disc (CD)
Compact Disc File System (CDFS)
A filesystem used on compact disc media, also known
as ISO 9660.
compatibility mode A method of providing backward compatibility for applications.
compiler A program that takes high-­level and mid-­level code and compiles it to low-­level
executable machine code.
The extremely small storage space
that holds user settings and dynamically discovered parameters for the BIOS/UEFI.
complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS)
compliance
The act of complying with regulations and policies.
Component Object Model (COM) An interface standard that supports object-­oriented
programming and allows processes to communicate with objects that are created from
application libraries.
composition When referring to printer paper, it’s what the paper is made of. Paper can be
made of cotton fibers or wood pulp, or a combination of the two.
A special vacuum that electronically dissipates electrical static
discharge (ESD) potential so that computer components are not damaged.
computer vacuum
In TCP/IP, connectionless refers to the UDP protocol, which makes a best-­
effort attempt at delivery but does not negotiate and establish a connection like TCP does.
connectionless
connection-­oriented In TCP/IP, connection-­oriented refers to the TCP protocol,
which negotiates and establishes a connection between two hosts before transmission of
data begins.
connectivity device Any device that facilitates connections between network devices.
Some examples include hubs, routers, switches, and bridges.
contention-­based
Competition between two or more network devices for the same
bandwidth.
A process scheduling in which processes depend on each other
to free resources for the next process.
cooperative multitasking
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core An embedded CPU die in a processor package. More than one core is often found in a
single package today.
corona roller
A type of transfer corona assembly that uses a charged roller to apply charge
to the paper.
A type of transfer corona assembly. Also, the wire in that assembly that is
charged by the high-­voltage supply. It is narrow in diameter and located in a special notch
under the EP print cartridge.
corona wire
cp A Linux command that copies a file or folder from a source to its destination.
credentials A username and password used for access to a system or application.
crimper A tool that attaches the connector ends onto a network cable. Crimpers also
typically act as cable cutters and cable strippers.
crossover cable A twisted pair network cable used for connecting computers directly to
each other. One end has pins 1 and 3 and 2 and 6 reversed, hence the term crossover.
cross-­platform virtualization An aspect of client-­side virtualization that allows programs
coded for one type of hardware or operating system to work on another that it’s not designed
to work on.
current directory The directory in which commands will be run from the shell.
On a laptop computer, when the cursor apparently jumps around the screen
by itself. It’s usually caused by the user’s hand inadvertently touching the trackpad or touch
stick. Also called a ghost cursor.
cursor drift
An impact printer that uses a plastic or metal print mechanism with
a different character on the end of each spoke of the wheel. As the print mechanism rotates
to the correct letter, a small hammer strikes the character against the ribbon, transferring the
image onto the paper.
daisy-­wheel printer
date code
A numerical code that depicts the date for the release of a software package
or update.
daughterboard
A thin circuit board attached to the motherboard, used to attach
expansion cards.
DB-­9 Connector type used with older serial cables.
A power adapter that plugs into a car cigarette lighter or airplane power
source and provides direct current (DC).
DC adapter
DC jack Power plug used to connect a DC adapter. Most commonly found in airplanes and
automobiles, and may be labeled auxiliary power.
dd
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A Linux command that provides block-­level copying of devices.
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Glossary
DDR Double data rate. A type of SDRAM that doubles the data rate of single data rate SDRAM
by transmitting 8 bytes on both the rising edge and the falling edge of each FSB clock cycle.
DDR2 Double data rate version 2. A type of SDRAM that doubles the data rate of DDR
SDRAM by transmitting 16 bytes on both the rising edge and the falling edge of each FSB
clock cycle.
DDR3 Double data rate version 3. A type of SDRAM that doubles the data rate of DDR2
SDRAM by transmitting 32 bytes on both the rising edge and the falling edge of each FSB
clock cycle.
DDR4 Double data rate version 4. A type of SDRAM that doubles the data rate of DDR3
SDRAM by transmitting 64 bytes on both the rising edge and the falling edge of each FSB
clock cycle.
DDR5 Double data rate version 5. A type of SDRAM that doubles the data rate of DDR4
SDRAM by transmitting 128 bytes on both the rising edge and the falling edge of each FSB
clock cycle.
Debian A Linux operating system that many different Linux distributions have been based
on, such as Ubuntu.
dedicated server The server that is assigned to perform a specific application or service.
default gateway The IP address of the “door” to the outside network, typically the internal
network’s router interface.
default username/password The default credentials on a network device that allows
initial management. Defines any screen-­sharing software that allows more than one person to
screen-­share.
The process of consolidating data to create contiguous files on a
mechanical disk drive.
defragmenting
demilitarized zone (DMZ) Old term for a screened subnet. A semi-­public network segment
located between a perimeter router and an internal router on your network. Used for web
servers, FTP servers, and email relay servers.
Water that has had minerals and impurities removed; it does not
leave residue and is recommended for cleaning keyboards and other non-­metal
computer parts.
demineralized water
Isopropyl alcohol that is mixed with methanol or another
additive so that it is not humanly consumable and does not leave a film when it dries.
denatured isopropyl alcohol
An attack for the purposes of disrupting the service or services a
company receives or provides via the Internet.
denial of service (DoS)
Department of Defense (DoD) model A four-­layer networking model loosely corresponding
to the OSI model, upon which the basis for the TCP/IP protocol suite was developed.
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Glossary
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desktop The element of the GUI that contains icons, the Start menu, and the taskbar.
desktop management software An extension of some screen-­sharing software packages,
such as Splashtop and TeamViewer. This integration gives you complete device management,
and a lot of these tools will even show when a device is online and connectable.
Developer mode A mode on the Android operating system that allows the manipulation of
various controls for development purposes.
The roller inside a toner cartridge that presents a uniform line of toner
to help apply the toner to the image written on the EP drum.
developing roller
developing step The fourth step in the EP imaging process, at which the image written on
the EP drum by the laser is developed—­that is, it has toner stuck to it.
Server that is configured to forward DHCP broadcasts from clients on
its subnet to the DHCP server, which resides on a different subnet.
DHCP relay agent
DHCP server A centralized server that assigns IP address, subnet mask, and options to
hosts via the DHCP protocol.
An electronic certificate used to validate or authenticate credentials for
users, computers, and applications.
digital certificate
A digital form of copyright protection that protects
digital forms of media and allows the management of rights.
digital rights management (DRM)
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) A broadband Internet access technology that uses the
existing phone line from your home to the phone company to carry digital signals at
higher speeds.
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) modem A device that allows broadband Internet access
using the existing phone line from your home to the phone company to carry digital signals
at high speeds.
digital versatile disc (DVD) A digital optical disc medium commonly capable of holding
from 4.7 GB to 8.5 GB of data per side, corresponding to 2 to 4 hours of uncompressed
DVD-­quality video.
Digital Visual Interface (DVI) A digital video interface standard that includes support for
analog monitor interfaces in the DVI-­A standard or one or two links of digital transmission
in the DVI-­D standard. There is also a DVI-­I (the I stands for integrated) that has the ability
to support both standards.
digitizer A device that takes input from a stylus pen, such as drawings or writing, and turns
it into digital form on a computer.
Shielded twisted pair (STP) cabling that has extra insulation to make it waterproof, designed for burial in the ground or for use outside.
direct burial
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Glossary
disaster recovery A plan or system that assists an organization in recovery of services
from an incident or failure.
Another name for RAID 1; a hardware or software solution where exact
copies of data are written to two hard drives simultaneously as a form of data redundancy.
Requires at least two hard drives.
disk mirroring
Another name for RAID 0; a hardware or software solution where data is
written across multiple drives, similar to a stripe. Improves data read and write performance.
Requires at least two hard drives.
disk striping
Disk Utility
A macOS tool that allows you to create an image of the operating system.
DisplayPort A royalty-­free digital display pushbutton-­release interface from VESA that
uses less power than other digital interfaces and VGA, and that can interconnect with HDMI
and DVI with a simple adapter.
distended capacitor A capacitor is an electronic device used to store electricity. A distended or swollen capacitor is one that has failed and that has bulged from its normal size.
Some also leak brownish-­red electrolyte residue.
distributed denial of server (DDoS) A distributed attack by thousands of hosts for the
purpose of disrupting the service or services a company receives or provides via the Internet.
A computer system in which processing is performed by several
separate computers linked by a communications network. The term often refers to any computer system supported by a network, but more properly refers to a system in which each
computer is chosen to handle a specific workload and the network supports the system
as a whole.
distributed processing
DNS poisoning The act of sending malicious DNS results to a DNS server for the purpose
of redirecting users.
DNS server Server that resolves hostnames to IP addresses, typically associated with Internet name resolution.
Dock The component of the Apple macOS interface that allows for convenient access to
frequently used apps, documents, and any running apps. It is similar to the Microsoft
Windows taskbar.
Provides a full range of ports and often a full-­sized keyboard and monitor
for laptop computers.
docking station
domain A networking model that allows for centralized login and management of users
and computer objects. Also referred to as a client-server networking model.
domain controller The authenticating server used with the domain networking model.
The server is responsible for storing objects, authenticating objects, and auditing of
the objects.
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Glossary
17
Domain Keys Identified Mail (DKIM) An email server authentication method that uses a
public-­private encrypted key pair to help protect against spam emails. The DKIM record is
added to the DNS server as a TXT record type.
Domain Name System (DNS) A TCP/IP name resolution system that resolves hostnames
to IP addresses. DNS uses port 53.
Domain-­based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) A policy
that specifies how a sending domain’s email administrator wants emails that are rejected by
DKIM or SPF to be handled. Added as a TXT record in DNS, it helps protect against email spam.
dot-­matrix printer An impact printer that has a print head containing a row of pins (short,
sturdy stalks of hard wire) that are used to strike the ink ribbon to create an image.
double-­sided memory
A memory module that combines two modules into one.
The poorest quality standard of output from a dot-­matrix impact printer,
suitable only for early document review.
draft quality
driver A software file that allows an operating system to communicate with a hardware
device. Also called a device driver.
A method of mitigating the risk of installing malware with third-­party
drivers by authenticating the author through certificate signing.
driver signing
A memory module packaging style that features a
circuit board with independent pins on both sides of the module’s card edge.
dual inline memory module (DIMM)
dual-­booting A computer with two operating systems that can be booted to either
operating system via a bootloader menu.
dual-­channel memory A RAM implementation scheme in which the memory controller
requires two paired standard memory modules to read from or write to simultaneously.
RIMM offers a single module that alone satisfies both channels on compatible motherboards.
dual-­layer The description used for DVDs and Blu-­ray discs that have two media layers on
one or both sides of the disc.
dual-­rail power A feature of modern power supplies that provides multiple 12V rails in an
effort to supply more power overall to components that require 12VDC, but with the possibility of undersupplying each individual rail.
dual-­voltage options A feature of power supplies that allows the selection of the lower AC
input voltages common in North America or the higher ones common in Europe.
dumpster diving
The act in which someone digs through the trash to collect sensitive
information.
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Glossary
A printer hardware component that is responsible for turning the
paper over so that it can be printed on both sides.
duplexing assembly
DVD-­ROM A nonwritable and unerasable DVD permanently pressed with digital data.
DVI-­to-­HDMI adapter A passive adapter or cable that allows a DVI monitor to be attached
to an HDMI output port on a graphics adapter. Adapters of the opposite orientation also exist.
DVI-­to-­VGA adapter A passive adapter or cable that interconnects a DVI-­A interface
with a VGA interface in order to allow interconnection of disparate graphics adapters
and monitors.
Dynamic disks A proprietary Microsoft partitioning scheme required when creating RAID
groups between volumes in the Windows operating system.
A protocol (and service) in the TCP/
IP protocol suite that automatically configures network clients with IP configuration
information when they join the network. DHCP uses ports 67 and 68.
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
Network address translation that allows
for a resource on a private computer to be available for consumption on a public network.
dynamic network address translation (DNAT)
Variables in which the type is automatically set as a value is assigned.
dynamically type
EFI System Partition (ESP) A system partition that stores various files used with UEFI for
the booting of the operating system.
electromagnetic interference (EMI) Any electromagnetic radiation released by an
electronic device that disrupts the operation or performance of any other device.
A special electric motor in a printer that can accurately move in
very small increments. It powers all of the paper transport rollers as well as the fuser rollers.
electronic stepper motor
electrophotographic (EP) imaging process
The seven-­step process by which an EP laser
printer forms images on paper.
electrostatic discharge (ESD) Occurs when two objects of dissimilar electrical charge
come in contact with each other; the charge can damage electronic components.
embedded system
A computer system that other computer systems depend on to
complete processes.
emulator Another name for a hypervisor, or a program that allows for the creation of
virtual machines.
The scrambling of a signal or message to make it unreadable by normal means
and more secure.
encryption
end-­of-­life (EOL)
The end of the supported life of a hardware or software product.
end-­user acceptance The method in which changes to a program or process are tested by
a user or group of users.
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19
end-­user license agreement (EULA) A contract between a software company and an end
user, which specifies the legal use of that application.
A software license that is issued for use across an entire enterprise,
regardless of license count.
enterprise license
entry control roster
A list of people who are authorized in an area that is controlled by a
security guard.
envelope feeder
A special device for feeding envelopes into a printer.
environment variables
A variable that is used as a placeholder for a string of data used by
the operating system.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The U.S. agency that oversees environmental
protection regulations.
EP cartridge
The component used in a laser printer that forms images on paper.
A lock that secures equipment, such as USB drives, laptops, and other
sensitive electronic media.
equipment lock
An error-­checking scheme that is able to discover 1 or 2 bits
in a byte that contain errors and correct single-­bit errors.
error correction code (ECC)
Technology that allows for network signals to be sent via
electrical power outlets. Devices must be on the same electrical circuit for Ethernet over
power to work.
Ethernet over power
Event Viewer The utility built into Microsoft operating systems that allows an administrator to view system, security, and application events.
A wireless phishing attack in which the attacker sets up a wireless access point to
mimic the organization’s wireless access points.
evil twin
Exchange Online Internet-­based email service operated by Microsoft.
executable machine code
Code that has been compiled and is directly executable
by the CPU.
exFAT
A proprietary Microsoft filesystem primarily created for flash drives over 32 GBs.
An adapter card that is inserted into a bus slot in the motherboard to
expand the native capabilities of a computer system.
expansion card
expansion slot One of the arbitrary insertion points in an expansion bus, based on a
specific technology—­PCI or PCIe, for example.
exploits A manual or automated method of exposing a security vulnerability for the
purpose of gaining unauthorized access.
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20
The third step in the EP imaging process, during which the items being
printed are exposed (written) to the EP drum. In this step, the laser is flashed on and off as
it scans across the surface of the drum. The area on which the laser shines is discharged to
almost ground (–100V).
exposing step
ext4 A filesystem that is commonly used with Linux distributions.
A connector based on Serial ATA (SATA) technology, used
primarily to connect external storage devices.
external SATA (eSATA)
face lock
A biometric type lock that allows you to use your face to unlock your device.
A process in which a device is reset back to the way it was when it came from
the factory; this process wipes all user settings.
factory reset
A regulation imposed by the
Department of Education that protects family and student educational records.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
FAT
A 16-­bit filesystem that was originally used with MS-­DOS.
FAT32
A 32-­bit filesystem that was introduced with Windows 95 (OSR2).
F-­connector Also known as F type, the type of network cable connector that is found on
the end of cable television coaxial cables.
feature update An update that adds functionality to the operating system.
feed roller
The rubber roller in a laser printer that feeds the paper into the printer.
feeder Device that feeds paper or other media into a printer.
fences A physical security barrier used to keep unauthorized persons out of a secure area
while allowing the same environmental conditions.
fiber-­optic cabling Network cable that is made with a glass or fiberglass core and that
transmits light instead of electrical pulses.
Fiber-­to-­the-­Home (FTTH)
Fiber-­optic broadband service delivered directly to a
residence.
Fiber-­to-­the-­Node (FTTN) Fiber-­optic broadband service delivered to the telco box in
front of the house and not directly to the home.
field replaceable unit (FRU) A component that is not serviceable in the field and is only
replaceable, such as a power supply.
fifth generation (5G) The most current generation of cellular communications that supports gigabit speeds over cellular links.
filament Plastic or possibly metal material that comes in wire form on a spool, used by
some 3D printers to create 3D images.
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21
A feature of many network operating systems that “locks” a file to prevent
more than one person from updating the file at the same time.
file locking
file servers Servers on a network designed to hold and store files for clients.
file-sharing software File-sharing software can be a category of remote access software,
if you are solely looking for that feature. Popular file-sharing software includes OneDrive,
Dropbox, and Google Drive.
A protocol in the TCP/IP protocol suite that is optimized for
file transfers. It uses ports 20 and 21.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
file-­level backup A backup method in which the files on a filesystem are individually
backed up to media.
fileshare Also known as a file server, a computer used primarily for the storage and
management of files on a network.
filesystem The organizational scheme that governs how files are stored and retrieved from
a disk. Examples include FAT, NTFS, HFS, and ext4.
FileVault A macOS feature that allows volume-­level encryption of the hard drive.
Finder The default file manager on Apple macOS that allows for file organization
and access.
fingerprint lock
finish diagram
A biometric type lock that uses your fingerprint to unlock the device.
A formal documentation of network systems, usually created at the end of
implementation.
finisher A device on a printer that performs such final functions as folding, stapling, hole
punching, sorting, or collating the documents being printed.
fire ratings A rating that defines how long a container can be exposed to fire before its
contents can no longer be protected from heat.
fireproof container A container that is impervious to fire that allows its contents to remain
at a safe temperature.
firewall Software or hardware used to limit traffic based on a set of rules, usually called an
access control list (ACL).
firmware Software that is programmed into erasable read-­only memory that defines how a
piece of hardware operates.
first responder
A person who is designated to respond to incidents and be the first person
on the scene.
first-­in, first-­out (FIFO) A systematic way of sending the most recent information out,
based on the most recent information that first came in.
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Glossary
An organization’s assets that have a fixed monetary value, such as
furniture, computers, and network equipment.
fixed tangible assets
Computer memory that is easily altered using electricity to alter its contents
instantly, but that will store the data in a persistent fashion when power is removed.
flash memory
Device used to read (scan) documents or pictures and turn them into
electronic images of documents or pictures. Can scan only one piece of paper or picture
at a time.
flatbed scanner
flat-­blade screwdriver
floating-­point
A screwdriver that is used for slotted screws.
A numeric value or math that has the precision of a decimal point.
A method of closing an application on Apple macOS when the application
becomes unresponsive.
Force Quit
The size and shape of a component. For example, ATX and Mini-­ITX are two
form factors for motherboards, HDDs commonly are in 2.5" or 3.5", and SSDs have M.2
and mSATA.
form factor
format The action of preparing a disk for storage using a given filesystem. Also a Windows
command-­line tool for preparing a disk for storage.
A generation of cellular technology that was popular throughout
the 2010s. It was the first standard that offered LTE.
fourth generation (4G)
frame The Data Link layer product that includes a portion of the original user data, upper-­
layer headers, and the Data Link header and trailer.
freeware Software that is written and distributed for free usage.
frequency The audio range in which a technology sends and receives broadcasts.
The high-­speed bus controlled by the Northbridge on which RAM,
cache (in the absence of the backside bus [BSB]), PCIe slots used for high-­speed graphics,
AGP slots, and other local-­bus components are interconnected with the CPU and, in some
cases, each other.
frontside bus (FSB)
full-­duplex communication
Communications where both entities can send and receive
simultaneously.
A domain name that is registered with a name provider and that contains a resource record that can be resolved to an IP address.
fully qualified domain name (FQDN)
fuser A device on an EP printer that uses two rollers to heat the toner particles and fuse
them to the paper.
The sixth step in the EP imaging process, when the toner image on the paper is
fused to the paper using heat and pressure. The heat melts the toner, and the pressure helps
fuse the image permanently to the paper.
fusing step
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Glossary
23
Generalize pass A configuration process in which the operating system is configured with
a new security ID (SID) and drivers are detected.
gesture-­based interaction
Using a mobile device through a series of finger gestures and
device movements.
ghost cursor On a laptop computer, when the cursor apparently jumps around the screen
by itself. It’s usually caused by the user’s hand inadvertently touching the trackpad or touch
stick. Also called cursor drift.
Global Positioning System (GPS)
A satellite-­based navigation system that provides
location and time services.
Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) An older radio technology used for
the transmission of voice and data in 2G and 3G networks.
globally unique identifier (GUID) A unique identifier that is always unique across all
systems, because of the complexity of the alphanumeric value. It is also used to identify users
in an Active Directory domain.
Google/Inbox (Gmail) Internet-­based email service provider operated by Google.
Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act (GLBA) A regulation imposed by the Federal Trade Commission
(FTC) that protects consumer information.
grandfather, father, son (GFS) A rotation method used for backups that defines month
end, weekly, and daily backup cycles, respectively.
grep
A Linux command that finds patterns of text in the output and contents of text files.
group ID (GID)
The identification mechanism for groups in Linux operating systems.
The Microsoft technology used with corporate domain structures for
applying policies to users and computers.
Group Policy
Guest account An account automatically created and disabled on Windows operating
systems for the express use of guests.
GUID Partition Table (GPT) GUID Partition Table (GPT) is a 64-­bit partition table
specification used with Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) BIOS.
half-­duplex communication Communication that occurs when only one entity can
transmit or receive at any one instant.
hard disk drive (HDD) A disk drive that contains magnetically coated platters in a sealed
case and is often used as the main secondary-­storage medium.
hard drive caching
When the print job is stored on the print server’s hard drive after the
job is completed.
The list of devices that are supported by the operating
system vendor and considered compatible with the operating system.
hardware compatibility list (HCL)
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Glossary
A security device that can manage, create, and securely
store encryption keys—­it enables users to safely encrypt and decrypt data.
hardware security module (HSM)
A small device that displays a rotating number, which a user must supply
along with their username and password.
hardware tokens
hash algorithm A one-­way computation that produces a unique numerical result, often
used with files or data.
hazardous waste Any waste that is deemed hazardous to the environment or people; this
waste is always regulated by a government entity.
header
Information attached to the beginning of a network data frame.
Pins on the motherboard used to connect case lights, fans, and other external
components.
headers
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) A regulation imposed by
the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) that protects patient information.
heat sinks
Metal devices designed to dissipate heat from electronic components.
helpdesk software Software that is used to document helpdesk requests and their
associated solutions.
hibernate mode A power state that saves the contents of memory to the hard drive and
preserves all data and application state.
high availability A cloud feature that guarantees access to resources for a certain amount
of time (limits downtime).
High-­Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI)
Interface designed specifically to support
digital video and can also transmit digital audio.
A computing environment that allows for a large
number of physical CPUs and a large amount of RAM.
high-­performance computing (HPC)
A tool with a very large needle, a gauge that indicates volts, and a wire
with an alligator clip used to discharge electricity from electronic devices.
high-­voltage probe
hoax A malicious deceptive email or social media post that creates undue panic or concern.
home directory The directory on Linux operating systems that is used for personal
file storage.
host Any computer or device on a TCP/IP network that has an IP address.
In TCP/IP the host ID is the portion of the IP address that uniquely identifies a host
on the network.
host ID
host-­based firewall A software-­based firewall located on a computer.
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Glossary
hotfix
25
A patch that fixes a problem in the operating system.
hotspot
1.
A location, usually public, where people can access the Internet through a wireless LAN.
2.
A connection that lets users share a cellular Internet connection with Wi-­Fi–capable
devices. A Wi-­Fi–enabled laptop, for example, would look for the mobile phone’s Wi-­Fi
network, join it, and then have Internet access.
hot-­swappable A device that can be inserted and removed without removing power from
the host component.
hub A basic connectivity device used to link several computers together into a physical star/
hub-­and-­spoke topology. A hub repeats any signal that comes in on one port and copies it to
the other ports.
hybrid cloud
A cloud that combines the features of a public cloud with those of a
private cloud.
A secondary storage solution comprising a traditional magnetic hard drive
and modern solid-­state drive, whether as a single device or as two separate ones.
hybrid drive
hybrid topology
A physical network topology that is a combination of bus, star/hub-­and-­
spoke, and mesh.
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) A standardized markup language for the transfer
and rendering of web pages with their associated elements.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) A protocol in the TCP/IP protocol suite that is the
backbone for Internet (Web) traffic. It uses port 80.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS)
A secure version of the HTTP protocol that
uses TCP port 443.
A CPU feature that allows a single CPU core to be treated by an operating
system that supports simultaneous multithreading (SMT) as if it were two CPUs.
hyperthreading
A Microsoft technology used for operating system virtualization inside of the
Microsoft Windows operating system.
Hyper-­V
hypervisor Software that is installed which allows the creation of virtual machines on a
computer. That is, it gives the computer the ability to run multiple operating systems or
multiple instances of the same OS simultaneously.
iCloud Apple’s Internet-­based cloud storage solution, commonly used to sync iPhones and
other mobile devices as well as to provide Internet-­based email.
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Glossary
identification (ID) A physical badge used to provide positive identification and authoriza-
tion of a person.
ifconfig A Linux command that allows the viewing and configuration of Ethernet interfaces.
image-­level backup
A backup in which an image of the operating system is backed
up to media.
imaging drum The component located inside the EP cartridge of a laser printer that is
responsible for applying toner to a page of paper.
impact paper Paper that is used to produce multipart forms without the use of carbon
paper. Used in impact printers (such as dot-­matrix) and not in inkjet or laser printers.
impact printer Any printer that forms an image on paper by forcing a character image
against an inked ribbon. Dot-­matrix, daisy-­wheel, and line printers are all impact printers,
whereas laser printers are not.
incident
A notable event or occurrence that is unusual or outside of the normal processes.
A document that is used to identify the root cause of a problem
that caused an outage of services.
incident documentation
incident response The approach used by a company or organization to address and man-
age situations involving security breaches or attacks, or other improper activity on computers
or a network.
Indexing Service
A service that provides the cataloging of files for search purposes.
Information Technology eXtended (ITX)
A family of motherboard form factors used in
smaller systems, such as a home theater PC.
A type of wireless transmission between devices that uses radiation in the
infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum.
infrared (IR)
A type of cloud service that provides the client with
extra network capacity, including processing power, storage, and networking services (such
as firewalls).
infrastructure as a service (IaaS)
inheritance The property of permission that allows subfolders and files to inherit the
parent folder’s permissions.
ink cartridge
A reservoir of ink and a print head, in a removable package.
inkjet printer A type of sprayed-­ink printer. It uses an electric signal that energizes
a heating element, causing ink to vaporize and be pushed out of the pinhole and onto
the paper.
A type of LCD screen. IPS displays have the best viewing angles
and color reproduction of LCD screen types.
in-­plane switching (IPS)
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Glossary
27
input/output card An expansion card that allows for other input or output devices to
connect to it. Examples include USB expansion cards and eSATA expansion cards.
integers Numeric values or math that uses both positive and negative whole numbers.
integrated development environment (IDE) A programming environment that typically
contains a GUI-­styled editor and a compiled execution environment.
Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) A nickname for the original ATA standard, now known
as parallel ATA (PATA) since the advent of serial ATA (SATA).
integrated GPU
A graphics processing unit that is integrated into the CPU die.
integrated print server Software installed on a printer that allows the device to receive
and manage print jobs without the need for a separate computer host.
A scripting environment that typically contains a
GUI-­styled editor and an execution environment.
integrated scripting environment (ISE)
interface The port or connection through which a device attaches to an external com-
ponent, such as a printer’s parallel or USB port for connection to a computer, as well as
the software that enables the port to communicate with the external component, such as a
Windows-­based driver for an HP LaserJet.
interface circuitry Also called a port, it’s what makes the physical connection to whatever
signal is coming from the computer (USB, parallel, etc.) and also connects the physical
interface to the control circuitry.
interface software The operating system–specific driver that enables communication
between the computer and a peripheral.
International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI)
On mobile phones, a 15-­digit serial
number, which is unique to each device.
On mobile phones, a unique 15-­digit
identifier that describes a specific mobile user and their network. It’s composed of three
elements: the Mobile Country Code (MCC), the Mobile Network Code (MNC), and the
Mobile Station Identifier Number (MSIN), which is a sequential serial number.
International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI)
Internet appliance
A network device specifically designed to ease Internet access.
Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) A network protocol that is primarily used for
troubleshooting and messaging responses from routers.
Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) A protocol used for downloading email that
uses port 143. The most current version is IMAPv4 (IMAP4).
Internet of Things (IoT) A name given to the vast network of small devices that are
networkable, such as security systems and cameras, home automation systems, thermostats,
door locks, and light switches.
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Glossary
The underlying communications protocol on which the Internet is
based. IP provides addressing on a TCP/IP network and allows a data packet to travel across
many networks before reaching its final destination.
Internet Protocol (IP)
Internet service provider (ISP)
Company that provides others with Internet access.
A network device that monitors network traffic and
looks for suspicious activity that might be the sign of a network-­based attack. It’s a passive
device that logs the activity and can send an alert to the administrator.
intrusion detection system (IDS)
intrusion prevention system (IPS) A network device that monitors network traffic and
looks for suspicious activity that might be the sign of a network-­based attack. It’s an active
device that can take actions to fend off the network attack.
inverter A small circuit board installed behind the LCD panel that takes AC power and
converts (inverts) it for the backlight.
iOS Mobile operating system created by Apple; one of the most popular smartphone OSs in
the world.
iPadOS A variant of Apple iOS with better multitasking features and a better home screen.
ipconfig A command-­line tool on Windows that allows you to view the IP address and
DNS on a client.
iptables A commonly used host-­based firewall that is preinstalled in many Linux
distributions.
IPv4 The version of IP addressing that has been used since the invention of the TCP/
IP protocol. Addresses are 32 bits long and written in dotted decimal notation, such as
192.168.13.85.
IPv6 The newer 128-­bit IP addressing scheme, in which addresses are written in hex. An
example is 2001:db8:3c4d:12::1234:56ab.
iSCSI A storage protocol that allows the transmission of Small Computer System Interface
(SCSI) commands over an Ethernet network via TCP/IP.
ISDN terminal adapter Also known as an ISDN modem, it’s the device that allows you to
connect to an ISDN service.
iTunes A marketplace for music, movies, and other digital media accessed from
Apple devices.
iwconfig A Linux command that allows the viewing and configuration of wireless
interfaces, similar to ifconfig.
jailbreak A term typically used with Apple devices that implies the operating system has
been tampered with in a way that allows global access to systems an end user should not
have access to.
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29
A program language that requires the program to be compiled and run on top of the
Java Runtime Environment (JRE).
Java
JavaScript
A scripting language that is used in web pages to allow for interactive content.
jitter Variable latency (delay) on network connections.
A filesystem that keeps a log (journal) of transactions so that it
can be repaired in the future by reprocessing the journal entries.
journaled filesystem (JFS)
An authentication protocol that provides mutually trusted authentication of
users and computers utilizing user and service authentication tickets.
Kerberos
key fob
A small key chain–type device that allows access to external and internal doors for
buildings.
The most common computer input device for entering text with buttons labeled
with the characters that they represent.
keyboard
Keychain The Apple macOS password manager used to store usernames, passwords, and
other auto-­fill information.
kill
A Linux command that sends signals to processes so that they can be terminated.
knowledge base A group of articles that detail the symptoms of a problem and their
associated solutions, as well as supporting information.
KVM switch A device that switches a single keyboard/video/mouse set among multiple
computer systems.
Cache memory that is smallest, fastest and closest to the processor core that it’s
dedicated to.
L1 cache
L2 cache Cache memory that is larger and slower than L1 cache, and not as close to the
processor. It’s usually, but not always, dedicated to one processor core.
The largest and slowest cache memory bank, which is often shared among
multiple cores within a processor.
L3 cache
A chip interface standard that places the pins on the circuit board
instead of on the chip packaging. The pins do not insert into sockets. The chip has an array
of lands, or flat conductive pads, that interface with the pins by surface contact only.
land grid array (LGA)
lane In PCIe, a switched point-­to-­point signal path between any two PCIe components. The
designation x16, for example, in PCIe represents a component’s ability to communicate over
16 lanes simultaneously.
laser printer A generic name for a printer that uses the electrophotographic (EP)
imaging process.
latency The amount of delay between sending a network data request and receiving a response.
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Glossary
launcher
The area on a mobile phone from which applications are opened.
Switch for changing the display state on a laptop, accessed by pressing the
function key and another key, such as F8 or F4.
LCD cutoff
lease In DHCP, it’s the amount of time that IP configuration information is given to the
DHCP client. The lease contains all pertinent IP configuration information.
legacy software
A computer application that is outdated by today’s standards.
A computer system that is outdated by today’s standards, and uses old
hardware, software, or network protocol.
legacy system
letter quality (LQ) A category of dot-­matrix impact printer that can print characters that
look very close to the quality a laser printer might produce.
A connector on the end of a USB cable, specifically developed by
Apple for its iPhone5 and newer devices.
Lightning connector
A popular directory services protocol that
provides methods for creating, searching, and modifying objects and attributes. Microsoft
uses LDAP in conjunction with Kerberos to authenticate devices and users.
Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)
Lightweight Extensible Authentication Protocol (LEAP) A proprietary wireless authentication protocol developed by Cisco for 802.1X RADIUS authentication.
A magnetic tape backup media created as an open standard, as an
alternative to proprietary magnetic tape technologies.
Linear Tape-­Open (LTO)
When a sender and receiver need to be able to see each other, with no obstacles in between, in order to communicate. Examples include infrared and satellite Internet.
line-­of-­sight
link local A special class of IPv6 address that is only usable on the local network; replaces
APIPA used in IPv4.
Linux An open source UNIX-­like operating system originally created by Linus
Torvalds in 1991.
liquid cooling A cooling method used to keep CPUs and other hot-­running components
from overheating by pumping a liquid from outside the system through tubing that leads to
blocks that mount to the components like heat sinks.
liquid crystal display (LCD) A display technology that uses crystals that align to produce
a polarization of light with electrical current. The term is also synonymous with the technology used to produce the backlighting for the LCD technology, compared to newer LED
backlighting.
lithium ion (Li-­ion) battery A type of rechargeable battery that uses lithium ions to store a
charge. These batteries do not suffer from standing discharge but cannot be overcharged.
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load balancer A device that accepts incoming requests and re-­routes them to a bank of
servers that can all perform the same task, to spread out the work.
A group of computers and associated peripherals connected by a
communications channel, capable of sharing files and other resources among several users.
local area network (LAN)
Fiber-­optic cable connector that corresponds to the mini form-­factor
standard. Colloquially known as the “little connector.”
local connector (LC)
locale An operating system setting that specifies the language, character set, keyboard, and
monetary notations.
The name given to a class of services that help identify the physical
location of a device. GPS uses satellites to provide location services, and cellular networks
use cell phone towers for the same purpose.
Location services
location-­based services Mobile device services used with the GPS and wireless networks
to track the location of a mobile device.
lockup
The unresponsive action of an operating system or application.
logical diagram
An overview diagram that displays how information flows within a
network system.
Logical Disk Management (LDM) The service in Windows operating systems that controls
disks, volumes, and their management.
long-­range fixed wireless A point-­to-­point technology that uses directional antennas to
send and receive network signals.
Long-­Term Evolution (LTE) Cellular standard developed as an enhancement to 4G.
Provides faster speeds than standard 4G. Also available as the long-­range standard for 5G.
long-­term support (LTS)
An operating system that has a longer than normal extended
support period.
loopback plug
Plug used to loop a signal back into a port to test the functionality
of the port.
ls A Linux command that is similar to the dir command on Microsoft Windows. It allows
for the listing of files and folders in the filesystem on Linux.
lumen (lm) A unit of measure for the total amount of visible light given off by a source
and based solely on what the human eye can perceive, not on both visible and invisible
wavelengths.
M.2 A form factor designed to replace the mSATA standard for ultra-­small expansion
components in laptops and smaller devices, now also included on desktop motherboards.
MAC address
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The unique physical address for each NIC.
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Glossary
A setting on a wireless router that prevents or allows access to clients based
on their network card’s physical (MAC) address.
MAC filtering
macOS Apple’s workstation operating system found on laptops and PCs.
The use of magnetic domains to store data on the surface of a medium,
such as the platters of a conventional hard disk drive.
magnetic storage
magnetometer A device that detects metal objects, also known as a metal detector.
mail exchanger (MX)
A DNS record type to signify an email server.
mail server A computer that receives, sends, and manages email.
mainboard
Another term for a motherboard, or the main circuit board in a computer.
maintenance station Provides a zero position for an inkjet printer’s print head and keeps
the print nozzles clear between print jobs.
malware Software that has been created with malicious intent of damage, theft, or disablement of computer systems and data.
man
A command-­line tool on Linux that allows you to view help pages for a command
specified as an argument to the tool.
Networking device that has the ability to configure ports, manage traffic,
and monitor traffic for issues. For management, the switch will use a network protocol such
as Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).
managed switch
master boot record (MBR) The first sector of a drive that contains the initial boot
instructions. MBR is also used to describe the basic disk partition scheme.
Master File Table (MFT)
The table used by the NTFS filesystem to locate files on the
filesystem.
A document that contains safety information about a
given product. Information provided includes safe handling procedures, what to do in case of
an accident, and disposal information.
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
measured service The process by which cloud providers meter clients’ usage, and then
charge them for services used.
A type of logical topology in which each device on a network is connected
to every other device on the network. This topology uses routers to search multiple paths and
determine the best path.
mesh topology
metered service Another name for measured service. The process by which cloud
providers meter clients’ usage, and then charge them for services used.
metropolitan area network (MAN) Networks that are defined by their geographical
nature, such as spanning a metropolitan area or a college campus.
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33
microphone An audio input device that transfers through-­the-­air sounds to a recording or
playback device.
microSD A solid-­state, or flash, memory card format related to SD cards. MicroSD cards
are smaller than miniSD cards, which are smaller than SD cards.
Microsoft 365 A subscription service that provides access to the Office suite of apps from
Microsoft, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and others. With the subscription, users also
get storage space in Microsoft’s cloud. That cloud storage space can also be used to sync
devices with each other.
Microsoft’s cloud-­based computing platform for building and managing
applications and services.
Microsoft Azure
Microsoft Defender Security
Microsoft’s built-­in Windows antivirus and antimal-
ware engine.
Microsoft Management Console (MMC) A management console, originally introduced
with Windows 2000, that allows for a uniform structure in displaying management tools
to the user.
Microsoft Remote Assistance (MSRA) A remote assistance tool included with the
Windows operating system since Windows XP.
Microsoft SQL
A relational database software product that was developed by Microsoft.
Microsoft’s online marketplace for the purchase of applications, software
packages, and media.
Microsoft Store
The MSRA tool allows a trusted
helper to assist the end user when the end user creates a solicited request by choosing Invite
Someone You Trust to Help You.
Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant (MSRA)
A Microsoft Office application that allows for the creation of network
diagrams for a system.
Microsoft Visio
A popular integrated development environment (IDE) that
allows for plug-­ins to edit various types of scripting languages.
Microsoft Visual Studio Code
Micro-­USB Small-­form USB connector typically used for devices such as digital cameras.
It’s the smallest of the USB connectors.
migration
Moving data, files, or settings from one computer or hard drive to another.
A common expansion slot technology used in laptops since 2005. They have a
52-­pin card edge connector.
Mini PCIe
mini-­HDMI connector The HDMI Type C interface with the same 19 pins as the standard
Type A interface. This compact HDMI interface allows smaller devices to output HDMI-­
quality audio and video.
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Glossary
A motherboard form factor—­the largest of the ITX family—­characterized by a
170 mm x 170 mm square format with a full-­size expansion slot, such as PCI, and a standard
memory slot and common integrated interfaces, features lost with smaller ITX form factors.
Mini-­ITX motherboards are commonly used in home-­theater PCs.
mini-­ITX
minimum requirements The minimum hardware specifications required by the
operating system.
miniSD A solid-­state, or flash, memory card format related to SD cards. MiniSD cards are
smaller than SD cards but larger than microSD cards.
mini-­USB Small-­form USB connector used for portable devices such as digital cameras.
Mini-­USB is slightly larger than micro-­USB.
Mission Control
The Apple macOS feature that allows you to view all running apps on the
operating system.
mmWave Very short radio wave technology used with 5G cellular to provide very high
transmission rates over 1 Gbps.
mobile
An operating system used on tablets, phones, and other portable devices.
mobile application management (MAM) A service that allows administrators to control
corporate software on mobile devices, including updating and wiping apps.
mobile device management (MDM)
Software that enforces the requirements for a BYOD
or mobile device security policy.
mobile hotspot When a cellular device allows noncellular devices to access the Internet
through its connection. Also, it can be a network card that allows laptop computers and
other mobile devices to access cellular networks.
modem A device used to provide Internet access through the analog phone line. At the
source it takes a digital signal and converts it to analog and then from analog back to digital
at the destination device.
Molex connector The original, larger system power connector that most often provides
power to non-­SATA hard disk drives and other devices that require more current to power
their motors than offered by antiquated smaller connectors.
motherboard A circuit board to which all computer components are directly or indi-
rectly attached.
mouse Handheld input device that, when moved around on a smooth surface, allows the
user to control the cursor movement on the screen. Comes with one or more buttons to allow
the user to click and interact with information on the screen.
multicast A message sent to multiple hosts. The term is used in IPv6 to refer to a
controlled, small-­scale broadcast.
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multicore
35
A CPU with more than one processor core.
multifactor authentication Requiring multiple forms of identification to allow users
access to network resources, such as something they know, something they have, something
they are, or somewhere they are.
multimeter A testing device used to perform multiple tests, such as determining the voltage
provided by a wire.
multimode fiber (MMF) Fiber-­optic cable that can transmit multiple signals at the same
time. MMF can transmit up to 10 Gbps for up to 550 meters (1,804 feet, or just over one-­
third of a mile), depending on the standard used.
multisocket A motherboard that has more than one CPU socket.
multithreading The ability of a program to submit multiple requests to the processor
at one time.
mutual authentication When two devices that are going to communicate both validate the
other’s identity prior to sending information. Bluetooth uses it, for example.
name server (NS)
DNS record type that is the name or address of the DNS server
for a zone.
nano A command-­line tool in Linux that allows you to view and modify text files.
native resolution The one optimal or fixed resolution supported by a monitor, most often
used in reference to LCD-­based monitors.
near-­field communication (NFC) A short-­range communication technology that uses radio
frequency (RF) communication. It has a functional range of 10 centimeters. It lets users hold
their phone next to someone else’s phone and transfer data or bump their phone to a receiver
at a store to pay for a purchase.
near letter quality (NLQ) A category of dot-­matrix impact printer that can come close to
the quality of a laser printer but still is lacking somewhat in print quality.
near-­field scanner
Portable device that is capable of scanning for near-­field communica-
tion (NFC) signals.
NetBT Short for NetBIOS over TCP/IP, it is an application programming interface (API)
that allows computers to communicate with each other over the network. NetBIOS/NetBT
uses ports 137–139.
netstat A Windows command-­line tool used to view information about inbound and
­outbound network connections.
network A group of computers and associated peripherals connected by a communications
channel capable of sharing files and other resources among several users.
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Glossary
A service that translates private, nonroutable IP
addresses into public addresses that can be used on the Internet.
network address translation (NAT)
Network Basic Input/Output System (NetBIOS) An API that works at Layer 5 of the OSI
model and allows computers to communicate with each other over the network. NetBIOS/
NetBT uses ports 137–139.
network ID In IP addressing, the network ID is the portion of the IP address that identifies
the network (as opposed to the host).
network interface card (NIC) In networking, the PC expansion board that plugs into a
personal computer or server and works with the network operating system to control the
flow of information over the network. The network interface card is connected to the network
cabling (twisted pair, coaxial, or fiber-­optic cable), which in turn connects all the network
interface cards in the network.
network operating system (NOS) Operating system that runs on a computer, allowing it
to connect and operate on a computer network.
A hardware device that creates a copy of network traffic for use by monitoring devices without disrupting normal traffic.
network tap
network-­based firewall A firewall, generally hardware-­based, that protects a network of
computers as opposed to one computer.
The proprietary filesystem primarily used by
Microsoft that provides file security, encryption, performance, scalability, and reliability.
New Technology File System (NTFS)
A rechargeable battery that uses nickel oxide hydroxide
and metallic cadmium as electrodes. These batteries suffer from standing discharge and battery memory.
nickel cadmium (NiCd) battery
nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery A rechargeable battery that has a composition similar to that of nickel cadmium batteries at the positive electrode. However, the negative electrode uses a hydrogen-­absorbing alloy. These batteries suffer less from standing discharge
than nickel cadmium and can store up to three times the amount of electricity.
Node.js A runtime environment for JavaScript so that JavaScript can be interpreted outside
of a web browser.
nondedicated server A computer that can be both a server and a workstation. In practice,
by performing the functions of both server and workstation, this type of server does neither
function very well. Nondedicated servers are typically used in peer-­to-­peer networks.
non-­parity memory
Primary memory that does not add or check the veracity of an extra
bit per byte of data.
An open standard for hard drives, designed to
optimize the speed of data transfers. It’s been created by a consortium of manufacturers,
including Intel, Samsung, Dell, SanDisk, and Seagate.
Nonvolatile Memory Express (NVMe)
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37
Northbridge The functional part of the chipset that controls local-­bus communication
among components connected to the frontside bus, such as the CPU, memory and cache,
AGP slots, and PCIe slots used for high-­end graphics. See also Southbridge and chipset.
Notepad A Windows utility that allows for the creation and editing of text documents.
Notification area A component of the taskbar that provides quick access to background
processes, such as antivirus, volume controls, and media ejection options.
nslookup A command used to query DNS records from a DNS server, often used in
troubleshooting.
NTFS permissions Filesystem permissions that affect both users logged on both locally
and remotely through network shares.
Occupational Safety and Health Act A U.S. law that governs procedure with respect to
occupational safety and health safety for the private sector.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) The U.S. agency responsible for
overseeing occupational safety and health safety for the private sector.
octet A grouping of 8 bits.
offboarding The processes that encompass the event of employees leaving the organization.
onboarding
The processes that encompass the event of new employees entering the
organization.
on-­path attack An attack where the threat agent positions themself between the com­
promised user and the destination server.
open access point A wireless access point that employs no encryption or authentication,
allowing any device that receives the signal potential access to the connected network.
open source
Describes software with code that is nonproprietary. Contrast with
closed source.
Software in which the source code used to produce the product is
open for development to the public.
open source software
A seven-­layer theoretical networking model
developed by the International Organization of Standardization (ISO).
Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model
An open source version of the Secure Shell (SSH) protocol used commonly with
Linux operating systems.
OpenSSH
operating system The software that provides the user with an environment in which to
run software and execute commands.
optical network terminal (ONT) Endpoint for an optical network that translates optical
signals into electrical signals for a copper-­based network. Used to get Internet access across
fiber-­optic networks.
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Glossary
The order used to collect evidence for incident response. The most
volatile information is always collected first, such as RAM.
order of volatility
organic light-­emitting diode (OLED) display A display technology that uses electroluminescence to light red, green, and blue subpixels that not only light the display like their LED
counterparts but also produce the image like the cells in a plasma display.
orientation Printer configuration setting that allows a user to choose portrait (taller than it
is wide) or landscape (wider than it is tall) print output.
original equipment manufacturer (OEM)
The vendor that packages an operating system
with its own hardware.
Out-­of-­Box Experience pass
The configuration process in which the operating system is
customized for the end user.
overclocking
Running the processor (CPU) at a higher speed than what it was intended to
operate at.
packet A group of bits ready for transmission over a network. It includes a header, data,
and a trailer.
page printers
Printers that get instructions one page at a time, such as a laser printer.
page-­description language Describes the whole page being printed. The controller in the
printer interprets these commands and turns them into laser pulses or firing print wires.
pairing The process of logically connecting two Bluetooth devices together to enable com-
munication.
pan tilt zoom (PTZ) Cameras that allow for 360-­degree operations and zooming in on an area.
paper feed mechanism The portion of the printer that picks up paper from the paper
drawer and feeds it into the printer.
The sensors on the paper feed mechanism that detect when the printer
has paper or is out of paper.
paper feed sensors
paper feeder
A device that feeds paper or other media into a printer.
paper pickup roller A D-­shaped roller that rotates against the paper and pushes one sheet
into a printer. Also called a pickup roller.
paper tray
The tray that holds paper until it is fed into a printer.
Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment (PATA) New name for integrated drive
electronics (IDE), a parallel communications method to communicate with hard drives and
optical drives.
An electronic computer pathway (bus) that can send 8 bits at a time over
synchronized separate lines, as opposed to 1 bit at a time, like a serial bus.
parallel bus
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39
Old, slow port that uses a DB-­25 connector. Was the standard for many years
for printers, so it’s sometimes referred to as a printer port.
parallel port
parity checking Storing an extra bit with and based on each byte in memory or during
serial transmission. When a byte is accessed, the validity of the parity bit is checked. If the
check shows an error, the byte is rejected or the system halted because there is no way to
determine the nature of the error.
parked When the print head is in the locked, resting position.
A common way to unlock devices that is typically a 4-­or 6-­digit
numeric passcode.
passcode lock
passive hub A type of hub that electrically connects all network ports together. This type
of hub is not powered.
passwd A Linux command that changes the password for a user account.
A software that manages username and password combinations for
various websites and resources.
password manager
password policy An internal policy that dictates how passwords are created and handled
for an organization.
Twisted pair networking cable, also known as a straight-­through cable. Both
ends of the cable have the same pin order. Used to attach computers to hubs.
patch cable
patch panel A large hub that is rack mounted and that houses multiple connections for
computers but possesses no network intelligence.
PCI Express (PCIe) A high-­performance serial local-­bus slot architecture that obviates the
need for AGP and PCI slots. PCIe supports combining the resources of multiple adapters for
higher performance.
Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) A popular expansion slot architecture invented
by Intel that succeeded the ISA slot and that is succeeded by PCIe.
personal area network (PAN)
personal computer (PC)
A small-­scale network of Bluetooth-­enabled devices.
A computer designed for a single user, as opposed to a mainframe
or server.
personal identification number (PIN) A numeric password that is only known to the user,
which is used as a factor of authentication.
personal license
A software license that is issued to an individual for personal use.
Anything that can be used to identify an
individual person on its own or in context with other information.
personally identifiable information (PII)
pharming The malicious act of collecting credentials via browser redirection or email phishing.
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Glossary
Phillips screwdriver
A screwdriver that has a protrusion in the shape of a pointed cross.
The act of sending an email in an attempt to steal credentials by making the
recipient believe they are logging into a valid website.
phishing
A physical obstruction generally found on the outer perimeter that
prevents access; examples are fences, walls, and mobile barriers.
physical barrier
physical diagram A diagram that displays specific connections and explains why a
network system functions in a specific manner; used for diagnostics.
A D-­shaped roller that rotates against the paper and pushes one sheet into a
printer. Also called a paper pickup roller.
pickup roller
pickup stepper motor
The motor that turns the pickup roller in a printer.
piconet A Bluetooth network. A Bluetooth-­enabled device can communicate with up to
seven other devices in one piconet.
PIN code
Code used to pair two Bluetooth devices together.
pin grid array (PGA)
CPU sockets that have holes to receive the pins on the CPU.
ping A command used to check basic network connectivity.
plain old telephone service (POTS)
The system of telephone wires used for voice
communications.
platform as a service (PaaS) A type of cloud service that provides infrastructure and also
includes software development tools such as runtime environments.
plenum-­rated When referring to coaxial covering, a designation that means the coating
does not produce toxic gas when burned (as PVC does) and is rated for use in air plenums
that carry breathable air.
A laptop feature in the center of the keyboard. Users can use it to control the
mouse movement.
point stick
pointer drift When the mouse cursor slowly drifts in one direction even though you are not
trying to make it move. This issue is generally related to the point stick not centering properly after it’s been used.
The type of plastic coating found on most network cables. Emits
poisonous gases when burned.
polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
pop-­under
An advertisement that displays under a web page or in the background of
the browser.
pop-­up blocker A browser function that suppresses pop-­ups on web pages and also allows
for whitelisting, or allowing a list of specific sites.
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41
pop-up An advertisement that pops up and displays when a user visits a web page.
port In hardware terms, a port is a location that a cable or device plugs into, often on the
motherboard.
port flapping When a network switch port is opening and closing rapidly, typically three
or more times per second, over at least 10 seconds.
port forwarding Allowing packets that meet the criteria in the ACL to pass through the
firewall to their destination.
port number
The logical channel that TCP/IP-­based protocols use to communicate.
A laptop peripheral that has common ports on it. When the laptop is
plugged into it, the laptop can make use of full-­sized keyboards and mice as well as external
monitors and other peripherals.
port replicator
An automated form of port forwarding. It allows traffic to enter the network on a specific port after a computer makes an outbound request on that specific port.
port triggering
A circuit board that fits into an expansion slot in the motherboard or a USB
port and reports numeric codes as the boot process progresses. By looking up the number
where the card stops, you can identify the source of problems.
POST card
Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3)
The most current version of the Post Office Protocol. It
uses port 110.
PostScript (PS) Page-­description language, used more commonly for graphics-­intensive
printing. An alternative to Printer Control Language (PCL).
power button In today’s computers, a physical switch that can be configured to perform
multiple functions, such as power the computer on/off and put it into sleep mode, based on
the length of time it is held.
power circuit The set of conductive pathways that converts 110V or 220V house current
into the voltages an inkjet printer uses (usually 12V and 5V) and distributes those voltages to
the other printer circuits and devices that need it.
Often an LED that indicates the system is on when lit and off when not. The
power light can also blink when in a low-­power state.
power light
Technology that allows for the transmission of electrical power
over Ethernet (twisted pair) cabling.
power over Ethernet (PoE)
A hardware device that sits between a switch and an
access point that requires power to be provided over the Ethernet connection. The injector
supplies the power on the Ethernet connection if the switch is not equipped to do so.
power over Ethernet (PoE) injector
An event in which voltage levels intermittently drop for a brief period of time,
causing a sag in voltage.
power sag
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Glossary
power strip A device that is used to supply power to multiple outlets but that contains no
protective circuitry.
power supply A device inside the computer that takes AC from wall outlets and converts it
to DC that the computer components need.
An event in which the voltage level intermittently spikes, generally after
power is restored from a blackout.
power surge
Part of the boot process controlled by the BIOS/UEFI that
verifies the working condition of the hardware the BIOS/UEFI knows about.
power-­on self-­test (POST)
PowerShell A Windows scripting environment based on the .NET Framework to allow
management of the operating system.
A process scheduling in which each process is allotted a specific
amount of processing resources.
preemptive multitasking
Preferred Roaming List (PRL) update An update to a mobile phone’s primary roaming
list, which determines which cell towers the phone connects to while roaming outside of its
home area.
A shared passphrase for symmetrical encryption often used with VPN
and wireless communications.
preshared key (PSK)
principle of least permissions
A concept in which you assign only the permissions a
person requires to do their job.
print bed
Flat plate upon which 3D images are printed by a 3D printer.
print buffer
A small amount of memory located on the printer used to hold print jobs.
The part of a printer that creates the printed image. In an impact printer, the
print head contains the small pins that strike the ribbon to create the image, and in an inkjet
printer, the print head contains the jets used to create the ink droplets as well as the ink
reservoirs. A laser printer creates images using an electrophotographic method similar to that
found in photocopiers and does not have a print head.
print head
print head alignment The process by which the print heads is calibrated for use. A special
utility that comes with the printer software is used to do this.
printhead carriage The component of an inkjet printer that moves back and forth during
printing. It contains the physical as well as electronic connections for the print head and (in
some cases) the ink reservoir.
print queue
A series of print jobs waiting to use the printer.
print server A computer responsible for managing printers, making them available on the
network, and receiving and processing print jobs from clients.
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Glossary
43
A service that formats print jobs in the language that the printer needs and
manages the printing process.
print spooler
A conductive series of pathways laminated to a nonconductive
substrate, such as those that make up a motherboard.
printed circuit board (PCB)
Runs a printer’s stepper motors, loads paper, and so on. Monitors
the health of the printer and reports that information back to the computer.
printer control circuit
Printer Control Language (PCL) Page-­description language developed by Hewlett-­Packard,
also called Printer Command Language. It is an alternative to PostScript and is mostly used
for standard office (mainly text-­based) printing.
printer controller assembly A large circuit board in a laser printer that converts signals
from the computer into signals for the various parts in a printer.
A fabric strip that is impregnated with ink and wrapped around two spools
encased in a cartridge. This cartridge is used in dot-­matrix printers to provide the ink for the
printing process.
printer ribbon
printer-­resident fonts
Fonts that are installed into the onboard memory of the printer.
printers Electromechanical output devices that are used to put information from the computer onto paper.
Private addresses are not routable on the Internet. They were intended for
use on private networks only. Compare with public addresses that are used on the Internet.
private address
private cloud
private side
An Internet-­based service owned and operated by an individual company.
The interface on a firewall that faces the internal network.
The identification method used to identify a process running on the
operating system, normally represented by a number.
process ID (PID)
processing step The first step in the EP imaging process, where the image is sent to the
printer and the image is created in memory.
product key Unique code that comes with software that is used to activate the application
and that indicates the ability to use the software.
Product Release Instruction updates On a mobile phone, it’s an update to the Product
Release Instruction (PRI) system, which contains settings for network-­specific configuration items.
prohibited content Material that is not allowed on your company’s computers.
projector An output device that uses a light source to display an image input to one of its
interfaces onto a screen.
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44
propagation delay In satellite Internet, the delay caused by the length of time required to
transmit data and receive a response via satellite.
Protected Extensible Authentication Protocol (PEAP) An open-­standard wireless
authentication protocol developed by Cisco, Microsoft, and RSA for 802.1X RADIUS
authentication.
In networking and communications, the specification that defines the procedures to follow when transmitting and receiving data. Protocols define the format, timing,
sequence, and error-­checking systems used.
protocol
proxy The action of requesting a resource on behalf of a user, computer, or application.
proxy server A computer that makes requests for resources on behalf of a client. Typically
used in an Internet setting, where it can filter content.
ps A Linux command that shows all running processes on the operating system.
All the addresses that are used on the Internet are called public addresses.
They must be purchased, and only one computer can use any given public address
at one time.
public address
An Internet-­based service owned by one company, which provides cloud services to client companies and individuals.
public cloud
public side
The interface on a firewall that faces the Internet or other public network.
punch-down block Large block of connectors used to terminate UTP or STP cable, typi-
cally located in a server room or connectivity closet.
punch-­down tool Handheld tool used to secure cable coming out of the walls to a
patch panel.
push protocol
pwd
A protocol that is designed only to send, such as SMTP.
A Linux command that displays the current working directory.
Python A general purpose, high-­level scripting language that can be installed on any
operating system.
quad-­channel memory Computer memory that is installed and synchronized as four
banks at one time.
quality management system (QMS) A collection of business processes and procedures that is focused on consistency of an organization to satisfy customer satisfaction and
requirements.
quantum light-­emitting diode (QLED) Display technology developed by Samsung that
uses LED backlights, with a thin film of quantum dots over it to improve brightness.
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45
Quick Assist A remote assistance utility that has been included with the Windows
operating system since Windows 8.
radio firmware
The firmware on a mobile phone that manages all wireless com-
munications.
radio frequency (RF)
An electromagnetic signal used for radio communications on a
specific frequency.
A technology that uses radio waves to read
an identification number on a badge or other RFID-­embedded device for authentication purposes.
radio frequency identification (RFID)
radio frequency interference (RFI) Another term for electromagnetic interference (EMI).
The only type of RAID that is not fault tolerant, RAID 0 provides striped volume
sets on two or more drives that allow for larger volumes than one drive alone can provide.
When one or more drives are lost, all data is compromised.
RAID 0
A fault-­tolerant type of RAID that provides mirroring and duplexing. Two and only
two drives exist in a mirrored set. The loss of either drive does not compromise data.
RAID 1
A fault-­tolerant type of RAID that combines the mirroring of RAID 1 in two or
more independent mirrored sets that are striped together with RAID 0 to produce larger volumes than any single mirrored set could provide. RAID 10 requires at least four drives.
RAID 10
A fault-­tolerant type of RAID that combines striped sets with distributed parity
across all drives in the set. A minimum of three drives is required, and the loss of any one
drive does not compromise data.
RAID 5
random access memory (RAM)
Short-­term, volatile, and quickly accessible storage used
by the processor in a computer.
A type of malware that ransoms your data in exchange for money in the form
of cryptocurrency.
ransomware
The ability to quickly increase or decrease the amount of resources
required from a cloud provider.
rapid elasticity
The process of converting signals from the computer into signals for the
various assemblies in a laser printer.
rasterizing
read-­only A copy or resource that is not editable or writable.
real-­time clock (RTC)
A chip on the motherboard responsible for maintaining the
correct time.
Secondary operating system on a mobile phone,
designed to be lightweight and fast, and real-time refers to its ability to minimize lag in data
transfers.
real-­time operating system (RTOS)
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Glossary
A term used with backups to describe the point in time at
which you can recover data from the last backup.
recovery point objective (RPO)
recovery time objective (RTO) A term used with backups to describe the time it takes to
recover data from the recovery point objective (RPO).
Red Hat
A corporately supported version of the Linux operating system.
Software or hardware
implementation where multiple hard drives work together as one unit, often to provide a
performance boost or fault tolerance.
Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks (RAID)
A secondary backup power supply that will take over and
provide power to computer components if the primary power supply fails.
redundant power supply (RPS)
refresh rate The number of times per second, measured in hertz (Hz), that a screenful of
image information is read from an input source and displayed by a monitor.
regedit
A Windows operating system tool used to edit the Registry.
registration rollers In a laser printer, rollers that synchronize the paper movement with the
image-­formation process in the EP cartridge.
Registry The configuration database inside the Windows operating system that contains
settings for the entire operating system and users.
regulation
An eternal rule or ruling with which an organization must comply.
release to market (RTM) The final version of the software product that is sold to the customer.
The process of repairing an outage, security problems, network issue, or other
network system problem.
remediation
Remote Authentication Dial-­In User Service (RADIUS) An industry-­standard protocol
used to provide authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA), often used with remote
access solutions.
The main utility used by Microsoft operating systems
to connect remote desktop sessions via the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).
Remote Desktop Connection client
Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) Protocol developed by Microsoft for users to be able to
log into a computer remotely. RDP uses port 3389.
An Apple macOS feature that allows for the sharing of a CD or DVD
remotely from another macOS computer.
Remote Disc
RMM solutions can help IT across the
enterprise or multiple enterprises and give you a holistic view of the enterprise. The remote
monitoring feature of an RMM system can monitor a number of different components, such
as security, hardware, applications, and even activity on the operating system.
Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM)
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remote network installation
47
A method of installing the operating system over a network
connection.
remote office
An office that is located in a different geographic location from the
main office.
A method of reinstalling the operating system without loss of settings,
personal files, and apps.
repair installation
repeater Networking device that takes a signal, amplifies it, and sends it along the cable.
Used to extend maximum distances.
reseating The process of unplugging a device or cable and plugging it back in to ensure it
is properly connected.
reservation On the DHCP server, you can specify that certain hosts will always receive the
same IP address, which is called a reservation.
resin Liquid substance used by 3D resin printers to create 3D images.
resolution The number of rows and columns that a display unit is capable of representing.
resource On a network, any device that clients can access, such as printers or
shared drives.
A Windows utility that allows visualization of processes in the
Resource Monitor
operating system.
The ability of a cloud provider to combine resources from multiple
physical computers to appear to be one combined resource that is available to clients.
resource pooling
restore point A point in time that the operating system or files can be recovered from in
the event of data loss or corruption.
ribbon cartridge
The container that holds the printer ribbon.
ring topology A physical network topology that has computers connected in a ring shape.
Uncommonly used.
riser card
An expansion card that allows for other expansion cards to be inserted into it.
risk The potential of failure or undesirable consequences.
The process of analyzing proposed changes for the possibility of failure or
undesirable consequences.
risk analysis
A connector type for twisted pair cabling. Telephone cabling uses an
RJ-­11 connector and network cabling uses an RJ-­45 connector.
RJ (registered jack)
RJ-­11 Registered Jack 11, a two-­pair (four-wire) plastic connector for the ends of twisted
pair copper cabling.
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Glossary
Registered Jack 45, a four-­pair (eight-wire) plastic connector for the ends of twisted
pair copper cabling.
RJ-­45
rm A Linux command that deletes files and directories.
rollback plan A plan used with change control management to detail the steps to roll back
a procedure if something goes wrong.
A side-­by-­side upgrade process in which the newly decommissioned
equipment becomes the next person’s upgrade, thus perpetuating the cycle until everything
is upgraded.
rolling upgrade
root A Linux operating system super user account that is similar to the Administrator
account on Windows operating systems.
root access A level of access to an operating system in which an end user can modify the
operating system.
root cause
The underlying reason for a system failure or outage of a system.
root server The DNS servers at the “core” of the Internet that hold information about the
top-­level domain name servers.
rootkit
A group of tools used to gain root level access to an operating system.
router In networking, an intelligent connecting device that can send packets to the correct
local area network segment to take them to their destination. Routers link LAN segments at
the Network layer of the OSI model for computer-­to-­computer communications.
routing tables
Tables on a router that determine where the router will send packets on
the network.
A package installation tool that was developed on the Red
Hat Linux operating system, originally named Red Hat Package Manager.
RPM Package Manager (RPM)
RS-­232 Communication standard for communications over a serial connection. The term
RS-­232 is sometimes used synonymously with DB-­9, although DB-­9 is specifically a serial
connector.
safety goggles
Samba
Protective eye equipment that protects your eyes in all directions.
A open source package installed on Linux that allows Windows SMB file sharing.
sandbox A temporary virtual environment used to test how software apps respond in that
environment.
A temporary location where testing can be done without repercussion to
production systems.
sandbox testing
A regulation imposed by the Security and Exchange
Commission that regulates financial documents for an organization.
Sarbanes–Oxley Act (SOX)
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49
satellite Internet A type of Internet connection that uses a satellite dish to receive data
from a satellite and a relay station that is connected to the Internet.
scan to email
Scanning a document on a multifunctional device (MFD) and emailing it to
a recipient.
scatternet A network of two or more Bluetooth piconets.
scope Database on a DHCP server that contains the IP addresses and other configuration
information the server can give out to clients.
A diagram that is scratched out during the troubleshooting of a problem
or initial diagramming of a system.
scratch diagram
screen sharing
A method of remotely sharing a screen so that a technician can help fix
a problem.
Screen-­sharing software will share your screen with another
user; most often used to troubleshoot problems.
screen-­sharing software
screensaver An application originally created to prevent images from being burnt into a
display’s surface.
Secure Boot A system where the firmware can check digital signatures for each boot file it
uses to confirm that it is the approved version and has not been tampered with.
Secure Digital (SD)
A solid-­state, or flash, memory card format.
A protocol that runs on port 22 and sets up a secure Telnet session; is
used for remote logins and for remotely executing programs and transferring files.
Secure Shell (SSH)
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) A security protocol used to encrypt transmissions over a TCP/
IP network. Has been made obsolete by the newer Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol.
secured print After printing a job, the job is held until the user authenticates to the printer
and starts the print job.
A security database in the Windows operating system
that contains local users and groups for local authentication.
Security Account Manager (SAM)
security group
An Active Directory group used to control permissions for a group of users
or computers.
security guard
security update
Personnel responsible for the physical security of an building.
An update that patches a security vulnerability in the operating system.
self-­ground A way of discharging a potential buildup of electrical static discharge (ESD)
by touching and holding a grounded component.
Self-­Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology (S.M.A.R.T.) Troubleshooting
technology built into hard drives to provide self-­diagnosis of potential failures.
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50
An email server authentication method that authenticates
using the sender’s IP address, used to help protect against spam emails. The SPF record is
added to the DNS server as a TXT record type.
Sender Policy Framework (SPF)
separation pads
Rubber patches that help keep the paper in place so that only one sheet
goes into a printer.
Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) The latest version of the standard that
specifies IDE (PATA) but that uses only a single serial pathway for communication instead of
multiple parallel pathways as PATA uses.
An older, slower port technology used on computers. Devices using a serial port
connect with a DB-­9 connector.
serial port
server An operating system that allows for the sharing of resources for workstation access.
Server Message Block (SMB) A Microsoft-­developed protocol used to provide shared
access to files, printers, and other network resources; runs on port 445.
service entrance surge protection
A surge protection that is located between the power
meter and breakers.
The identifier (name) of a wireless router or wireless access
point. The unique name of a wireless network that differentiates it from other wireless networks that are also in range of a wireless client.
service-­set identifier (SSID)
session A connection established between two computers on a network.
A copy of data the Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) created at a specific
time or interval, sometimes called a snapshot.
shadow copy
share permissions
Permissions that apply when files are accessed remotely through a Win-
dows share.
A pool of resources is purchased, and each participant in the cloud pays
for a fraction of those resources.
shared resources
A type of software that allows a grace period of usage before it must be
shareware
purchased.
shell
A software program that allows the user to manipulate the operating system.
shielded twisted pair (STP) Copper network cable that has two or four pairs of twisted
wires, shielded by a braided mesh and covered with an outside coating.
shutdown
A Linux command that starts the shutdown process on a Linux operating system.
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
A TCP/IP protocol optimized for sending email. It
uses port 25.
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51
A protocol that gathers and manages
network performance information. The current version is SNMPv3, and it runs on ports
161 and 162.
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
Single Connector Attachment (SCA) The connector in hardware RAID devices and bays
that contains both power and data connections instead of two separate connectors.
The new term for the original synchronous RAM
on the market, which shares a common clock signal with the computer’s system-­bus clock.
single data rate SDRAM (SDR SDRAM)
A computer term used to define one device or connection that, if it
fails, brings down the entire system.
single point of failure
single sign-­on (SSO) An authentication process that requires a user to authenticate once.
Credentials are then used for the authentication of all other systems.
single-­channel memory A RAM implementation scheme in which the memory controller
expects or allows standard memory modules to be installed one per bank.
single-­core A CPU that only has one pathway (core) to process data at a time. Older processors were all single-­core, and most today are multicore.
single-­factor authentication A system that requires one piece of information to log a user
in, such as a password, in addition to a username.
Fiber-­optic cable that can only transmit one signal at a time.
It’s the longest-­distance cable available for networking used today and can transmit up to
10 Gbps for up to 40 kilometers (25.85 miles), depending on the standard used.
single-­mode fiber (SMF)
single-­sided memory A memory module that has chips and pin functions that match the
specification for a single module.
sleep/suspend mode
A low power state similar to hibernation, but memory is not
written to disk.
Small Computer System Interface (SCSI)
Computer interface typically used for hard
drives or optical drives.
small office, home office (SOHO)
A term used to define extremely small networks pri-
marily used by a few people.
small office, home office (SOHO) network Network located in a home or in a small
business, usually with fewer than 10 computers.
A small–form factor memory
module based on DIMM principles and designed for the mobile computing sector.
small outline dual-­inline memory module (SODIMM)
smartcard
A security card that resembles a credit card with an integrated circuit embedded
in the card.
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Glossary
Smurf attack
An ICMP broadcast attack in which the sender spoofs the target’s IP address.
The use of deception to obtain information or manipulate people in an
attempt in obtain confidential information or access.
social engineering
software as a service (SaaS) A type of cloud service that handles the task of managing
software and its deployment, and includes the platform and infrastructure as well.
Cloud-­based service that manages logical network
connections in place of physical networking hardware such as switches and routers.
software-­defined networking (SDN)
solenoid In daisy-­wheel printers, the small electromechanical hammer that strikes the back
of the petal containing the character.
solid-­s tate drive (SSD) A drive that has no moving parts but uses flash memory to emulate
a conventional hard disk drive.
A conventional HDD manufactured with a substantial
amount of flash memory–like solid-­state storage aboard.
solid-­s tate hybrid drive (SSHD)
sound card An expansion card that allows the computer to play high-­quality music
through speakers or headphones.
source code The programming code that was used to write and compile the software.
Southbridge The functional part of the chipset that controls non–local-bus communica-
tion among components connected to the various I/O buses, including PCI, IDE, USB, RS-­
232, and parallel. See also Northbridge and chipset.
spam
Unsolicited commercial, illegal, or undesirable emails.
spam gateway
A device that helps detect and deter malicious spam email.
Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) Protocol used by managed switches to prevent network loops.
A phishing attempt in which the source of the email looks like a trusted
source so the victim is more susceptible to the attack.
spear phishing
The configuration pass in which the operating system is configured for a
networking model, user accounts, and computer name.
Specialize pass
splitter A hardware device that takes one input signal and sends it to several
output devices.
SSH A text-­based console for remote access that features encryption and authentication for
both the client and server.
stabilizer bar A small metal bar on a printer that holds the printer carriage as it crosses the page.
stakeholder A person who has a primary interest in or responsibility for a business unit in
an organization.
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Glossary
standard operating procedure (SOP)
53
A document detailing step-­by-­step instructions to
complete a routine activity.
The set of privileges for a nonadministrator account when logging
into an operating system.
standard privileges
standard user
A user who has standard or basic privileges on the operating system.
standby mode
A power state in which the screen is turned off to reduce power
consumption.
A physical network topology where all computers are attached to a central
connectivity point. Also called hub-­and-­spoke.
star topology
The component of the GUI that allows the user access to the installed programs on the operating system.
Start menu
Start of Authority (SOA)
DNS record type that signifies the authoritative DNS server
for a zone.
Manually configuring a host with an IP address and information, as
opposed to obtaining the address dynamically through a DHCP server.
static IP addressing
static-­charge eliminator strip The device in EP process printers that drains the static
charge from the paper after the toner has been transferred to the paper.
stepper motor
A very precise motor that can move in very small increments. Often used
in printers.
storage area network (SAN)
A network dedicated to storage that provide lossless block
level access to storage.
Storage Spaces
A Windows technology that can help protect data in the event of
disk failure.
straight tip (ST) One of the most common fiber-­optic connectors. Uses a twist-­and-­lock
attaching mechanism.
string A type of variable that can contain both alpha and numeric data. Strings do not con-
tain a value like integer and float variable types do.
stripe set with parity Another name for RAID 5. It provides fault tolerance and
performance increases, and requires a minimum of three hard drives.
su A Linux command that allows the current user to switch the user context to another
user account.
subnet mask A required part of any TCP/IP configuration, used to define which addresses
are local and which are on remote networks.
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Glossary
subscriber connector (SC)
A fiber-­optic cable connector that snaps and locks into place.
subscriber identity module (SIM) OS Operating system on a mobile device that manages
data transfers between the device and the device’s memory (SIM) card.
sudo A Linux command that allows a nonprivileged account to run a privileged command.
super user A user that has elevated privileges in the operating system, equivalent to
administrative credentials on Windows.
High-­level legacy computer
management system that is used to control manufacturing machines and processes; manage large-­scale infrastructure settings such as power grids, oil and gas pipelines, and water
treatment facilities; and run components in buildings such as heating and air conditioning.
supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA)
An electrical device that will absorb a temporary power spike, known as
surge suppressor
a surge in electricity.
SuSE A Linux distribution that uses the RPM-­based package management system.
swipe lock
A type of lock screen that allows you to unlock your device and that provides
no security.
switch A Layer 2 device similar to a hub in its port count but more advanced, with the
ability to filter traffic based on the destination MAC address of each frame.
swollen battery
One potential sign of a failed battery, it’s when the battery physically
begins to expand.
synchronization The mirroring of contents between a computer and a mobile device.
Commonly synchronized data includes contacts, apps, email, photos, music, and videos.
Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) The original synchronous RAM on the market, which
shares a common clock signal with the computer’s system-­bus clock.
synthetic backup
A backup created from the last full backup and a series of daily backups.
syslog Server (and system) used to gather and track messages from client devices on
a network.
system board
Another term for a motherboard, or the main circuit board in a computer.
System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) A Microsoft software product that is
used to automate installations of software packages and provide reporting.
System File Checker (SFC) A service in Microsoft operating systems that monitors and
maintains file integrity of critical system files.
System Protection The primary system in the Windows operating system responsible for
creating system restore points.
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55
The name used to describe the component of Active Directory in contrast to
backup and recovery.
System State
A legacy Microsoft software product that provides
similar functionality to Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM).
Systems Management Server (SMS)
Twisted pair cabling specifications that define the order of pins on a cable.
The T568A order is white/green, green, white/orange, blue, white/blue, orange, white/
brown, brown. T568B is white/orange, orange, white/green, blue, white/blue, green, white/
brown, brown.
T568A/T568B
tailgating
The act of following someone through a secure access area, tailgating on their
credentials.
taskbar The component of the GUI that contains programs that are executing as well as
shortcut icons, Start menu, and Notification area.
TCP printing Connecting to a shared printer using the TCP protocol. By default uses the
RAW protocol format and port 9100.
telemetry The process of sending information to Microsoft on the usage, health of the
operating system, and quasi-­personal data for the cloud services.
Telnet A dated text-­based console for remote access that allows the client and server to
communicate over an unencrypted session.
Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) A protocol that protects the initialization vector
with an RC4 encryption cipher, used in conjunction with WPA.
terminal An application that allows shell access via a network or physical connection. It is
also the name of a macOS application that performs similar functionality.
test development
A virtual environment created on a virtual machine used to test soft-
ware applications.
tethering Connecting a non-­cellular device to a cellular-­enabled device for the purpose of
getting on the Internet through the cellular connection.
text (TXT) A DNS record type that is followed by a text field. Commonly used in
conjunction with DKIM, SPF, and DMARC records to help combat email spam.
thermal pad A small heat-­conducting piece of material used to connect a CPU to a heat
sink or fan. Used as an alternative to thermal paste.
Heat-sensitive paper that comes on a roll and is used in thermal printers.
Areas of the paper exposed to heat turn color to produce an image.
thermal paper
A compound used to bridge the thermal gap between the surface of a chip’s
packaging and the mating surface of a heat sink.
thermal paste
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Glossary
thermal printer A printer that uses heat and special heat-­sensitive paper to produce
images; common among fax machines.
thermal runaway A condition in which lithium-­ion batteries can overheat, causing the
material to fuse internally, and this perpetuates heat.
An old cellular networking technology that was popular in the
1990s and early 2000s; replaced by 4G.
third generation (3G)
third-­party drivers Drivers that are supplied by a manufacturer and not included with the
Windows operating system.
threat A potential danger to the network or the assets of the organization.
threat agent A malicious individual who is carrying out or planning to carry out an attack
that threatens network security.
Thunderbolt A high-­performance digital interface created by Intel and Apple and based on
the DisplayPort connector that provides external connectivity at up to 40 Gbps over a USB-­C
connection.
time drift The phenomenon of the operating system losing or gaining time that creates
problems when the time is too far off.
Time Machine
A macOS backup utility that allows for local backups of user files.
toner A carbon substance mixed with polyester resins and iron oxide particles. During the
EP imaging process, toner is first attracted to areas that have been exposed to the laser in
laser printers and is later deposited and melted onto the print medium.
toner probe A pair of devices used to determine which port on the patch panel goes with
each wall outlet.
top A command on Linux that interactively displays all the various processes running on
the operating system.
topology A way of laying out a network. Can describe either the logical or physical layout.
Torx screwdriver
A screwdriver with a splined gripping surface.
Input device typically used with touchscreen devices, specifically laptops and
smaller mobile devices. Also called a stylus.
touch pen
touchpad Flat, rectangular device built into the palm rest of a laptop keyboard, used as a
pointing device to control the mouse cursor on the screen.
touchscreen A computer screen that is sensitive to touch.
traceroute A command used to view the path a packet will take to a destination computer
(tracert is the Windows equivalent).
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57
trackball An older device that replaced a mouse on laptops. It was an exposed ball that
functioned much like an inverted mouse.
A paper feed mechanism used in impact printers, it uses paper that has holes
along the edge.
tractor feed
transfer corona assembly The part of an EP imaging process printer that is responsible
for transferring the developed image from the EP drum to the paper.
The fifth step in the EP imaging process, when the developed toner image
on the EP drum is transferred to the print medium using the transfer corona.
transferring step
transformer A device that takes one type of electrical current and turns it into a different
type of electrical current.
transient voltage surge suppressor (TVSS)
A device that removes electrical surges from
an electrical service.
A core protocol in the TCP/IP protocol suite that
establishes connections and guarantees packet delivery.
Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)
A set of computer-­
to-­computer communications protocols that encompasses media access, packet transport,
session communications, file transfer, email, and terminal emulation. TCP/IP is supported by
a very large number of hardware and software vendors and is available on many different
computers, from PCs to mainframes.
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) suite
Transport Layer Security (TLS) A security protocol used to encrypt transmissions over a
TCP/IP network. Commonly used with HTTPS over port 443.
Any physical hazard that might cause an individual to trip and fall, such as
loose wire on a floor.
trip hazard
A memory subsystem that allows the insertion of up to three
banks of memory to communicate in unison with the memory controller.
triple-­channel memory
Protocol that uses port 69. Used to transfer files (but
not securely) and to transmit configuration information to and from network devices.
Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP)
Trusted Installer A system service that is allowed to modify critical system files on the
Windows operating system.
A dedicated security co-­processor within a computer that
the UEFI uses to boot the system securely after authenticating the boot device.
Trusted Platform Module (TPM)
TTY A Linux operating system device that allows for teletype-­style terminal access to
the shell.
A type of LCD screen. TN screens are the oldest LCD screen type,
but they are fast and inexpensive.
twisted nematic (TN)
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Helps increase security for mobile devices by requiring an additional piece of information. A common implementation is to require a PIN from a security
token, which changes every 30 seconds.
two-­factor authentication
Type 1 hypervisor Also known as a bare metal hypervisor, it is a software program that
acts as an operating system, and also provides the ability to perform virtualization of other
operating systems using the same computer.
Type 2 hypervisor A software program that sits on top of an existing operating system and
provides the ability to host multiple virtual operating systems on the same computer at the
same time.
Ubuntu A popular Linux distribution that was originally formed from the Debian
distribution.
ultrabook
An extremely thin lightweight notebook computer.
unicast In IPv6, an address that identifies a single node on the network.
unicode An expanded set of characters used for internationalization of text to accommodate different languages.
The extensible successor to the BIOS that
features support for a vast array of systems and platforms by allowing access to system
resources to access additional software modules.
Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)
Typically implemented as a hardware device, UTM
combines firewall, IPS, and antimalware protection into one central management point.
unified threat management (UTM)
A UPS is designed to protect everything that’s
plugged into it from power surges, power sags, and even power outages. The device contains
one or more batteries and fuses. Energy is stored in the batteries, and if the power fails, the
batteries can power the computer for a period of time so the administrator can then safely
power it down.
uninterruptible power supply (UPS)
Universal Naming Convention (UNC) The naming convention used with Windows
operating systems that defines a specific file share on a specific server.
Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) Technology designed to allow wireless-­aware devices to
automatically connect to a wireless network, declare themselves to other devices, and
discover other devices.
Universal Serial Bus (USB) A high-­speed, hot-­pluggable serial interface used for connecting
external peripherals to a PC. USB is available in six main versions at speeds up to 40 Gbps.
Universal Time Code (UTC)
The primary time standard used as a worldwide reference for
the offsets of all time zones.
Universal Windows Platform (UWP) A programming platform that allows for the code to
be recompiled for several different hardware platforms.
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Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure (U-­NII) Defines a portion of the radio
frequency (RF) spectrum that has been allocated to wireless devices by the FCC.
A Layer 2 device similar to a hub in its port count but more advanced,
with the ability to filter traffic based on the destination MAC address of each frame. Does
not possess any additional network intelligence, unlike a managed switch.
unmanaged switch
unshielded twisted pair (UTP)
Networking cable that has four twisted pairs of copper
wire and a flexible outer coating.
The act of plugging a PCIe adapter into a slot that supports more lanes than
the adapter supports.
up-­plugging
USB controller The hardware usually found on the motherboard of the computer that is
responsible for controlling power and data paths to the USB device.
Newest connector type for USB devices. It’s an oval-­shaped connector versus older,
rectangular USB Type-­A connectors.
USB-­C
User Account Control (UAC) A method of controlling the use of administrator credentials
by a user who has been granted administrative control of the operating system, by prompting
to continue with the administrative function.
User Datagram Protocol (UDP) Part of the TCP/IP suite that performs a similar function
to TCP, with less overhead and more speed but with lower reliability. It is a connectionless
protocol, meaning that it does not guarantee packet delivery.
User ID (UID)
The identification mechanism for users in Linux operating systems.
user profile A group of settings as well as personal documents specific to each user logged
into the operating system.
variable type A characterization of a variable based on the type of data that it will contain,
which also defines the memory to be allocated.
A word used in a program or script that allows for the temporary storage of
information.
variable
VBScript A popular Microsoft scripting language that is based on the Component Object
Model (COM) and Visual Basic.
version
The revision of code for a software product.
A type of LCD screen. VA screens have great contrast ratios but
are otherwise seen as a middle-­performance type between IPS and TN.
vertical alignment (VA)
vi A Linux text-based editor that is widely supported on all Linux systems.
An expansion card often used to save a video stream to the computer
for later manipulation or sharing.
video capture card
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Glossary
An expansion card that allows the computer to present information on some
kind of display, typically a monitor or a projector.
video card
Video Graphics Array (VGA) connector
DB-­15 video connector, typically blue, that
provides analog video.
video surveillance
The process of surveillance using video cameras and video recorders.
The hosting of desktop environments on a central
server. It is a form of desktop virtualization.
virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI)
Network configured on a managed switch and used to
segment broadcast traffic and potentially increase security.
virtual local area network (VLAN)
A virtualized version of a computer that breaks the barrier between
a one-­to-­one hardware and operating system relationship.
virtual machine (VM)
Memory that is provided to the operating system that is in the form of a
file on a disk, to allow more memory for applications.
virtual memory
Virtual Network Computing (VNC) A graphical desktop sharing utility that can be
installed on Linux, Windows, and macOS.
A NIC configured within a virtual machine. It does not need to be (but can be)
virtually connected to a physical NIC.
virtual NIC
virtual private network (VPN) A virtual network connection between two IP addresses
that provides encryption and allows for privacy over the network. Secure point-­to-­point connection using tunneling over a public Internet connection.
virtualization The ability to run multiple operating systems or multiple instances of one
operating system on one physical computer simultaneously. Requires the use of a hypervisor.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
An IP-­based telephony standard used to place calls
over a network or the Internet.
Volume Snapshot Service (VSS) A Microsoft service that provides an instant snapshot of
a filesystem to provide recovery points outside the backup period.
vulnerability A weakness of security that can be exploited by an attacker to provide unau-
thorized access.
web server A computer designed to host web pages and provide access to clients.
webcam A video camera that connects to a computer so that the video it captures can be
sent across the Internet in real time.
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whaling A phishing attack that targets a wealthy, powerful, or key head figure of an
organization.
whitelist A firewall security strategy that allows access to nobody (so its default is deny),
except those users or computers on the whitelist. Also called an allow list.
whole numbers
A numeric value that has no precision of a decimal point or is a fraction.
wide area network (WAN) A network that expands a LAN to include networks outside of
the local environment and also to distribute resources across distances.
Wi-­Fi
Short for wireless fidelity, it is a collection of IEEE 802.11 standards.
Wi-­Fi analyzer A hardware device or software application that is used to detect or analyze
wireless network signals.
A wireless protection protocol that utilizes 256-­bit keys
and operates in preshared key (PSK) mode and enterprise mode.
Wi-­Fi Protected Access (WPA)
Wi-­Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) A wireless protection protocol, also known as 802.11i,
that utilizes the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption protocol and Counter
Cipher Mode with Block Chaining Message Authentication Code Protocol (CCMP). It operates in two modes: preshared key (PSK) mode and enterprise mode.
Wi-­Fi Protected Access 3 (WPA3) A wireless protection protocol that is the successor to
WPA2 and has become part of the mandatory Wi-­Fi 6 Alliance certification process as of
July 2020. WPA3 offers higher encryption standards and replaces PSK with a Simultaneous
Authentication of Equals (SAE) exchange process.
The core of the Windows operating system, responsible for low-­level
hardware access and the loading of higher-level functions, such as the GUI.
Windows kernel
A runtime environment for VBScript scripts to allow for
the scripts to run within the operating system.
Windows Scripting Host (WSH)
Windows Update The Microsoft software update process for the Windows operating
system and other related Microsoft software packages.
Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) The original standard of wireless encryption that provides 64-­and 128-­bit encryption of data and operates only in preshared key (PSK) mode.
wireless access point (WAP) A central hub that looks nearly identical to wireless routers
and provides central connectivity like a wireless router, but doesn’t have nearly as many
features. The main one most people are concerned with is Internet connection sharing.
wireless Internet service provider (WISP) In very broad terms, a WISP is an ISP
that grants access using a wireless technology. Specifically, though, the industry uses the
term to refer to providers that offer fixed point-­to-­point, relatively short-­distance broadband Internet.
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wireless local area network (WLAN)
An internal wireless network that is an extension of
the local area network (LAN).
wireless mesh network (WMN) A network, managed by a cloud-­based network
controller, that uses wireless technology configured in a redundant mesh network.
wireless personal area network (WPAN)
Another name for a Bluetooth network.
wireless router A central wireless access point that provides connectivity as well as
routing features.
workgroup A loosely defined network that provides decentralized authentication for the
access of files and printers.
workstation An operating system that allows users to access information and applications
on servers.
The term used to describe today’s 64-bit processor instruction set, originally created by AMD.
x64
x86
The term used to describe the Intel 32-bit processor instruction set.
Yellowdog Updater, Modified (YUM) A package management tool that was developed on
the Red Hat Linux operating system, it provides functionality similar to that of APT.
zero insertion force (ZIF) A CPU socket into which the processor can be inserted with little
to no force.
zero-­day An exploit or attack of which the developer has had no prior knowledge,
­therefore no patch exists.
zombie A host that has malware installed and is controlled by a command and
control server in a botnet.
zone file The configuration file on a DNS server that contains the records of the computers
that the server is responsible for resolving the names of (to IP addresses).
A short-­range wireless mesh technology designed to support Internet of Things
(IoT) devices.
Z-­Wave
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