glossary

Glossary

This glossary describes special terms used in the product documentation set.

Glossary of Terms

Term

Explanation

activate

To enable your software after completion of the regis­tration process. Trend Micro products will not be oper­able until product activation is complete. Activate during installation or after installation (in the manage­ment console) on the Product License screen.

ActiveUpdate

ActiveUpdate is a function common to many Trend Micro products. Connected to the Trend Micro update website, ActiveUpdate provides up-to-date downloads of virus pattern files, scan engines, and program files via the Internet or the Trend Micro Total Solution CD.

address

Refers to a networking address (see IP address) or an email address, which is the string of characters that specify the source or destination of an email message.

administrator

Refers to “system administrator"—the person in an organization who is responsible for activities such as setting up new hardware and software, allocating user names and passwords, monitoring disk space and other IT resources, performing backups, and managing network security.

administrator account

A user name and password that has administra­tor-level privileges.

antivirus

Computer programs designed to detect and clean computer viruses.

authentication

The verification of the identity of a person or a pro­cess. Authentication ensures that digital data trans­missions are delivered to the intended receiver. Authentication also assures the receiver of the integ­rity of the message and its source (where or whom it came from).

The simplest form of authentication requires a user name and password to gain access to a particular account. Authentication protocols can also be based on secret-key encryption, such as the Data Encryption Standard (DES) algorithm, or on public-key systems using digital signatures.

Also see public-key encryption and digital signature.

client

A computer system or process that requests a service of another computer system or process (a "server") using some kind of protocol and accepts the server's responses. A client is part of a client-server software architecture.

configuration

Selecting options for how your Trend Micro product will function, for example, selecting whether to quaran­tine or delete a virus-infected email message.

default

A value that pre-populates a field in the management console interface. A default value represents a logical choice and is provided for convenience. Use default values as-is, or change them.

(administrative) domain

A group of computers sharing a common database and security policy.

domain name

The full name of a system, consisting of its local host name and its domain name, for example, tellsitall.com. A domain name should be sufficient to determine a unique Internet address for any host on the Internet. This process, called "name resolution", uses the Domain Name System (DNS).

download (noun)

Data that has been downloaded, for example, from a website via HTTP.

download (verb)

To transfer data or code from one computer to another. Downloading often refers to transfer from a larger "host" system (especially a server or mainframe) to a smaller "client" system.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions—A list of questions and answers about a specific topic.

file

An element of data used for storage, such as an email message or HTTP download.

file type

The kind of data stored in a file. Most operating sys­tems use the file name extension to determine the file type. The file type is used to choose an appropriate icon to represent the file in a user interface, and the correct application with which to view, edit, run, or print the file.

spyware/grayware

A category of software that may be legitimate, unwanted, or malicious. Unlike threats such as viruses, worms, and Trojans, grayware does not infect, replicate, or destroy data, but it may violate your pri­vacy. Examples of grayware include spyware, adware, and remote access tools.

gateway

A gateway is a program or a special-purpose device that transfers IP datagrams from one network to another until the final destination is reached.

GUI

Graphical User Interface—The use of pictures rather than just words to represent the input and output of a program. This contrasts with a command line interface where communication is by exchange of strings of text.

hard disk (or hard drive)

One or more rigid magnetic disks rotating about a cen­tral axle with associated read/write heads and elec­tronics, used to read and write hard disks or floppy disks, and to store data. Most hard disks are perma­nently connected to the drive (fixed disks) though there are also removable disks.

HTTP

Hypertext Transfer Protocol—The client-server TCP/IP protocol used on the World Wide Web for the exchange of HTML documents. It conventionally uses port 80.

HTTPS

Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure—A variant of HTTP used for handling secure transactions.

host

A computer connected to a network.

Internet

A client-server hypertext information retrieval system, based on a series of networks connected with routers. The Internet is a modern information system and a widely accepted medium for advertising, online sales, and services, as well as university and many other research networks. The World Wide Web is the most familiar aspect of the Internet.

Internet Protocol (IP)

An Internet standard protocol that defines a basic unit of data called a datagram. A datagram is used in a connectionless, best-effort, delivery system. The Inter­net protocol defines how information gets passed between systems across the Internet.

intranet

Any network which provides similar services within an organization to those provided by the Internet outside it, but which is not necessarily connected to the Inter­net.

IP

Internet Protocol—See IPv4 address or IPv6 address.

IPv4 address

Internet address for a device on a network, typically expressed using dot notation such as 123.123.123.123.

IPv6 address

Internet address for a device on a network, typically expressed as 1234:1234:1234:1234:1234:1234:1234:1234.

IT

Information technology, to include hardware, software, networking, telecommunications, and user support.

Java file

Java is a general-purpose programming language developed by Sun Microsystems. A Java file contains Java code. Java supports programming for the Internet in the form of platform-independent Java "applets." (An applet is a program written in Java programming language that can be included in an HTML page. When you use a Java-technology enabled browser to view a page that contains an applet, the applet’s code is transferred to your system and is executed by the browser’s Java Virtual Machine.)

Java malicious code

Virus code written or embedded in Java. Also see Java file.

JavaScript virus

JavaScript is a simple programming language devel­oped by Netscape that allows web developers to add dynamic content to HTML pages displayed in a browser using scripts. Javascript shares some fea­tures of Sun Microsystems Java programming lan­guage, but was developed independently.

A JavaScript virus is a virus that is targeted at these scripts in the HTML code. This enables the virus to reside in web pages and download to a user’s desktop through the user’s browser.

Also see VBscript virus.

KB

Kilobyte—1024 bytes of memory.

license

Authorization by law to use a Trend Micro product.

link (also called hyperlink)

A reference from some point in one hypertext docu­ment to some point in another document or another place in the same document. Links are usually distin­guished by a different color or style of text, such as underlined blue text. When you activate the link, for example, by clicking on it with a mouse, the browser displays the target of the link.

local area network (LAN)

Any network technology that interconnects resources within an office environment, usually at high speeds, such as Ethernet. A local area network is a short-dis­tance network used to link a group of computers together within a building. 10BaseT Ethernet is the most commonly used form of LAN. A hardware device called a hub serves as the common wiring point, enabling data to be sent from one machine to another over the network. LANs are typically limited to dis­tances of less than 500 meters and provide low-cost, high-bandwidth networking capabilities within a small geographical area.

malware (malicious software)

Programming or files that are developed for the pur­pose of doing harm, such as viruses, worms, and Tro­jans.

management console

The user interface for your Trend Micro product. Also known as the product console.

Mbps

Millions of bits per second—a measure of bandwidth in data communications.

MB

Megabyte—1024 kilobytes of data.

mixed threat attack

Complex attacks that take advantage of multiple entry points and vulnerabilities in enterprise networks, such as the “Nimda” or “Code Red” threats.

Network Address Translation (NAT)

A standard for translating secure IP addresses to tem­porary, external, registered IP address from the address pool. This allows Trusted networks with pri­vately assigned IP addresses to have access to the Internet. This also means that you don’t have to get a registered IP address for every machine in your net­work.

network virus

A type of virus that uses network protocols, such as TCP, FTP, UDP, HTTP, and email protocols to repli­cate. Network viruses often do not alter system files or modify the boot sectors of hard disks. Instead, they infect the memory of client machines, forcing them to flood the network with traffic, which can cause slow­downs or even complete network failure.

notification

(Also see action and target)

A message that is forwarded to one or more of the fol­lowing:
- system administrator
- sender of a message
- recipient of a message, file download, or file transfer
The purpose of the notification is to communicate that a prohibited action has taken place, or was attempted, such as a virus being detected in an attempted HTTP file download.

operating system

The software which handles tasks such as the inter­face to peripheral hardware, scheduling tasks, and allocating storage. In this documentation, the term also refers to the software that presents a window sys­tem and graphical user interface.

parameter

A variable, such as a range of values (a number from 1 to 10).

pattern file (also known as Official Pattern Release)

The pattern file, as referred to as the Official Pattern Release (OPR), is the latest compilation of patterns for identified viruses. It is guaranteed to have passed a series of critical tests to ensure that you get optimum protection from the latest virus threats. This pattern file is most effective when used with the latest scan engine.

port

A logical channel or channel endpoint in a communica­tions system, used to distinguish between different logical channels on the same network interface on the same computer. Each application program has a unique port number associated with it.

proxy

A process providing a cache of items available on other servers which are presumably slower or more expensive to access.

proxy server

A World Wide Web server which accepts URLs with a special prefix, used to fetch documents from either a local cache or a remote server, then returns the URL to the requester.

scan

To examine items in a file in sequence to find those that meet a particular criteria.

scan engine

The module that performs antivirus scanning and detection in the host product to which it is integrated.

sector

A physical portion of a disk. (Also see partition, which is a logical portion of a disk.)

Secure Socket Layer (SSL)

Secure Socket Layer (SSL), is a protocol designed by Netscape for providing data security layered between application protocols (such as HTTP, Telnet, or FTP) and TCP/IP. This security protocol provides data encryption, server authentication, message integrity, and optional client authentication for a TCP/IP connec­tion.

server

A program which provides some service to other (cli­ent) programs. The connection between client and server is normally by means of message passing, often over a network, and uses some protocol to encode the client's requests and the server's responses. The server may run continuously (as a daemon), waiting for requests to arrive, or it may be invoked by some higher-level daemon which controls a number of specific servers.

shared drive

A computer peripheral device that is used by more than one person, thus increasing the risk of exposure to viruses.

signature

See virus signature.

SNMP

Simple Network Management Protocol—A protocol that supports monitoring of devices attached to a net­work for conditions that merit administrative attention.

traffic

Data flowing between the Internet and your network, both incoming and outgoing.

Transmission Con­trol Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)

A communications protocol which allows computers with different operating systems to communicate with each other. Controls how data is transferred between computers on the Internet.

trigger

An event that causes an action to take place. For example, your Trend Micro product detects a virus in an email message. This may trigger the message to be placed in quarantine, and a notification to be sent to the system administrator, message sender, and mes­sage recipient.

true-file type

Used by IntelliScan, a virus scanning technology, to identify the type of information in a file by examining the file headers, regardless of the file name extension (which could be misleading).

URL

Universal Resource Locator—A standard way of speci­fying the location of an object, typically a web page, on the Internet, for example, www.trendmicro.com. The URL maps to an IP address using DNS.

virtual IP address (VIP address)

A VIP address maps traffic received at one IP address to another address based on the destination port num­ber in the packet header.

Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN)

A logical (rather than physical) grouping of devices that constitute a single broadcast domain. VLAN mem­bers are not identified by their location on a physical subnetwork but through the use of tags in the frame headers of their transmitted data. VLANs are described in the IEEE 802.1Q standard.

Virtual Private Net­work (VPN)

A VPN is an easy, cost-effective and secure way for corporations to provide telecommuters and mobile pro­fessionals local dial-up access to their corporate net­work or to another Internet Service Provider (ISP). Secure private connections over the Internet are more cost-effective than dedicated private lines. VPNs are possible because of technologies and standards such as tunneling and encryption.

virtual router

A virtual router is the component of Screen OS that performs routing functions. By default, Trend Micro GateLock supports two virtual routers: Untrust-VR and Trust-VR.

virtual system

A virtual system is a subdivision of the main system that appears to the user to be a stand-alone entity. Vir­tual systems reside separately from each other in the same Trend Micro GateLock remote appliance; each one can be managed by its own virtual system admin­istrator.

virus

A computer virus is a program – a piece of executable code – that has the unique ability to infect. Like biolog­ical viruses, computer viruses can spread quickly and are often difficult to eradicate.

In addition to replication, some computer viruses share another commonality: a damage routine that delivers the virus payload. While payloads may only display messages or images, they can also destroy files, refor­mat your hard drive, or cause other damage. Even if the virus does not contain a damage routine, it can cause trouble by consuming storage space and mem­ory, and degrading the overall performance of your computer.

Web

The World Wide Web, also called the web or the Inter­net.

Web server

A server process running at a website which sends out web pages in response to HTTP requests from remote browsers.

workstation (also known as client)

A general-purpose computer designed to be used by one person at a time and which offers higher perfor­mance than normally found in a personal computer, especially with respect to graphics, processing power and the ability to carry out several tasks at the same time.