
Download To copy data (usually an entire file) from a main source to a
peripheral device.The term isoften used todescribe the process
of copyinga filefrom an onlineservice toone's own computer.
Downloading can also refer to copying a file from a network
file server to a computer on the network.
E-mail Electronic mail. A service that sends messages on computers
via local or global networks.
Events An action or occurrence detected by a program. Events can be
user actions,such as clickinga mouse buttonor pressinga key,
or system occurrences, such as running out of memory.
False positive Occurs whena scanner identifiesa file asinfected whenin fact
it is not.
Filename extension The portion of a filename, following the final point, which in-
dicates the kind of data stored in the file.
Many operating systems use filename extensions, e.g. Unix,
VMS, andMS-DOS. They areusually from oneto three letters
(some sad old OSes support no more than three). Examples
include "c" for C source code, "ps" for PostScript, "txt" for ar-
bitrary text.
Heuristic A rule-based method of identifying new viruses. This method
of scanning does not rely on specific virus signatures. The ad-
vantage of the heuristic scan is that it is not fooled by a new
variant of an existing virus. However, it might occasionally
report suspicious code in normal programs, generating the so-
called "false positive".
IP Internet Protocol - A routable protocol in the TCP/IP protocol
suite that is responsible for IP addressing, routing, and the
fragmentation and reassembly of IP packets.
Java applet A Java program which is designed to run only on a web page.
To use an applet on a web page, you would specify the name
of the applet and the size (length and width, in pixels) that the
applet can utilize.When the web pageis accessed, thebrowser
downloads the applet from a server and runs it on the user's
machine (the client). Applets differ from applications in that
they are governed by a strict security protocol.
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Glossary