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Glossary  

This glossary contains many of the terms you will find throughout the SpywareRemove.com website.

A

ACS
A communications server that manages computer modem’s incoming and outgoing messages. It directs outgoing messages and sends to the next available modem and incoming messages to the next suitable workstation.

Action
A predetermined response to an event or alert done by a system or program.

Active
A status showing that an application, scan or process is running. For example, when a program is running it is considered active.

ActiveX controls
ActiveX controls are small programs that add dynamic and interactive features to Web pages. These software components incorporate ActiveX technology and they can be used to add pop-up menus, multimedia effects and animation to web pages, desktop applications and tools that develop software. Programmers can develop ActiveX controls in a variety of languages including C, C++, Visual Basic, and Java. ActiveX controls are usually installed with user permission; however, very often it is automatically downloaded and executed by a Web browser. Unsuspecting users are also sometimes tricked into agreeing to download unwanted ActiveX controls. Such unauthorized installation and execution of ActiveX controls allows malicious code to install components or to make changes on visiting systems.

Activity log
A report that sequentially lists information about all the recorded events operated on the system.

Address Bar Spoofing
Modification of a browser’s address bar in order to show a legitimate address. This modification is done by running a script that removes the browser’s address bar and replaces it with a false address bar.

Admin, administrator
A computer account that provides access to a user over a computer system, including software installation and account management. For instance, if a computer becomes infected and the admin is logged onto a PC, the virus or attacker may gain the same privileges as the admin has, such as software installation and modification.

Administrative domain
An environment that is defined by a security model or security policy.

Adware
A software program that can display advertising banners while the program is running. Adware may track a user’s personal information and transfer the collected data on to third parties, without the user’s knowledge or consent.

Affected file type
Malware and grayware may appear as files of a certain kind. The term "affect" here stands for the file format (for instance, PE or Win32) that the malware or grayware comes as, or the formats that it adds when infects the files.

Affected software
Affected software, Platform and Systems Affected is a list in which there are indicated the area or areas that are affected by a particular threat (it may be malware, grayware, or vulnerabilities). This list has the operating systems or applications that have to be installed in the user’s system before the parasite performs its nasty routines. Moreover, a threat can act in a different way across different platforms.

Alarm
A sound or visual image that is shown to identify an error or status.

Alert
A notification that announces about a virus intrusion or other computer related task. The message can be delivered to users for example via e-mail.

Alertable event
An event that was predefined to provide a warning signal for that event.

Alias
An alternative virus, trojan or other parasite name issued by another anti-virus vendor. Some viruses may get different names because there is no organization responsible for giving names to computer viruses.

ANSI Bomb
Special character sequences that that are used to reprogram keys on the keyboard. Once ANSI.SYS file is loaded, the bomb may popup colorful screen or may produce unwanted graphical effects.

Anti-antivirus Virus
Another name for a retro-virus.

Application
A program that can be installed to a computer and that usually consists of executable files (EXEs), DLLs, data files, registry settings, and install/uninstall files.

Attack
An assault against a computer system or network. Successful attacks can cause sabotage such as destroying or stealing data and turning off your computer.

AV Killer
A malicious tool designed to disable a user’s anti-virus programs or firewalls in order to prevent from detecting viruses.

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