Key Terms

Review the following list of key terms:

• back door— A hidden pathway for gaining entry to a computer system.

• buffer overflow— An attack method that lets the attacker deliver malicious commands to a system by overrunning an application buffer.

• denial-of-service attack— An attack design to cripple the victim's system by consuming system resources.

• email worm— A malicious script or program transmitted through an email message.

• hacker— A user who trespasses on computer systems for fun or profit. To some, a hacker is any high-end user who is obsessed with and devoted to working with computers.

• root access— The highest level of access to a computer system. Root access offers nearly unlimited control of the system.

• root kit— A set of tools used by an intruder to expand and disguise his control of a system.

• script kiddie— A young, usually adolescent hacker who works mostly with ready-made scripts and tools available on the Internet.

• session hijacking— An attack method that lets the attacker insert malicious packets into an existing TCP session.

• Trojan horse— A program that purports to do one thing but actually takes other unseen and malicious actions behind the scenes.