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Glossary  

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

D

DAT files
The type of files that are used to determine anti-virus or anti-spyware program code in order to find malware. DAT files are also known as detection definition files and signature files.

DDoS
A form of denial-of-service (DoS) assault in which an attacker uses malicious code on more than one zombie computer to aim traffic at a targeted URL. An attacker uses this technique to have a greater effect than it would have taken with one zombie computer. The attacker can carry out an attack by uses DDoS programs can carry out instructions from a master program to attack, which is usually a command to disable or shut down the targeted URL.

Defacement
A change of the home page or other main pages of a Website performed by an unauthorized individual or process.

Desktop computer
A computer used for performing individual tasks, typically with the computer found on or under a desktop.

Desktop firewall
A program that is used as a filter between a personal computer and the Internet or computer network which is used to monitor incoming and outgoing traffic.

Destructive threat
A threat known to cause direct damage to files or computer systems. The main result of it is the loss of important information. Some examples of a destructive threat may be such routines as corrupting or deleting important files or formatting the hard drive. There may also be a destructive program that consumes resources in a denial of service attack.

Dialers
Dialer is a computer program used to redirect user’s telephone connection to the more expensive line with higher charges for a content provided with or without user consent.

DLL injector
A method used by a malware author to mask the author’s presence from desktop fire walls. The malware author injects the malicious code as an added DLL into an already running program, making any requests to the disk or network but pretending as if the original program made the request.

Domain Name System (DNS)
An Internet naming scheme that translates internet domains into IP addresses. Every time you use a domain name, a DNS service translates the name into its proper IP address.

DoS (short for denial of service)
An assault on a network that can be intentional or accidental by-product of instruction code that can originate from a separate network, the host or Internet-connected system. The aim of the attack is to disable or shut down the targeted computer, and to break off system’s ability to respond to legitimate requests.

Download
Data transmission from one PC to another or from the Internet that is used to transfer computer files.

Download folder
A default folder which stores files after the download is complete.

Downloader
A computer program that is designed to download files onto a PC usually without user’s knowledge of consent. A downloader may also be programmed to perform automatic downloads in order to update itself.

drive-by download
A type of download that usually appears without user’s consent when viewing unsolicited websites. Once downloaded, the potentially unwanted programs get installed.

dropper
A type of malicious file that carries a Trojan or virus and when executed drops it onto a computer for potentially malicious purposes.

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