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Glossary
ActiveX
ActiveX is a model for writing programs so that other programs and the operating
system can call them. ActiveXtechnology is used with Microsoft Internet Explorer
to make interactive Web pages that look and behave like computer programs,
rather than static pages. With ActiveX, users can ask or answer questions, use
push buttons, and interact in other ways with the Web page. ActiveX controls are
often written using Visual Basic.
Active X is notable for a complete lack of security controls; computer security
experts discourage its use over the Internet.
Archive
A disk, tape, or directory that contains files that have been backed up.
A file that contains one or more files in a compressed format.
Backdoor
A hole in the security of a system deliberately left in place by designers or
maintainers. The motivation for such holes is not always sinister; some operating
systems, for example, come out of the box with privileged accounts intended for
use by field service technicians or the vendor's maintenance programmers.
Boot sector
A sector at the beginning of each disk that identifies the disk's architecture (sector
size, cluster size, and so on). For startup disks, the boot sector also contains a
program that loads the operating system.
Boot virus
A virus that infects the boot sector of a fixed or floppy disk. An attempt to boot
from a diskette infected with a boot sector virus will cause the virus to become
active in memory. Every time you boot your system from that point on, you will
have the virus active in memory.
Browser
Short for Web browser, a software application used to locate and display Web
pages. The two most popular browsers are Netscape Navigator and Microsoft
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Glossary