Comms Flashcards
(29 cards)
Network
an arrangement of computers and other devices connected toghther to share resources and data
LAN
a network that covers a relatively small geographical area, often a single site
WLAN
a local area network in which connected devices use high frequency radio waves to communicate
WAN
a network that covers a large geographical are. connects two or more LANs
Client-server network
a network that has at least one server to provide services to the client computers
Peer-to-Peer network
a network that doesnt have any centralised servers. Each computer in the network can act as client and server
Network topology
describes how the devices on a network are connected toghether
Internet
a worldwide system of interconnected networks that enables information to be exchanged and shared
Communication Media
the means by which data is transmitted between devices on a network. Coaxial cable, fibre optic cable and microwaves are all forms of communication media
Protocol
a set of rules that govern how communications on a network should be formatted and what data they should include
Eavesdrop
having unauthorised sight of data being sent from one computer to another over a network.
Bandwidth
the amount of data that can be carried on a network in a given period of time
Packet
a small quantity of data being sent through a network. The packet is labelled with the senders address , the receipents address , how many packets are being transmitted and the position of this packet in the complete message
Web server
powerful computer systems that store web pages and any multimedia that the pages might contain
Network Security
activities designed to protect a network and its data from threats such as viruses, hacker attacks, denial service attacks,data interception and theft, and equipment failure
Denial of service
an attack on a network that attempts to prevent legitimate users from accessing its services
Access Control
this determines which users have access to which data, and what they are allowed to do with it
Hacking
the act of gaining unauthorised access to a computer system and the data it contains
Physical security
controlling access to critical parts of a network using physical methods rather than software
Malware
it is used as a generic term for any kind of software that is designed to disrupt the use of a computer system
USB
Universal Serial Bus sockets found on most modern computer systems
Cyberattack
any kind of malicious attack on a network connected device
Social engineering
any kind of attack on a computer system or network that exploits how people behave and respond to certain situations
Shoulder surfing
gaining access to information by watching someone enter into a computer system
