Glossary

Anti-Virus Software

Software used to protect computers against threats from viruses or other malicious software. The software is installed on your computer and checks against viruses in all files on your computer as well as files attached in incoming emails. If it finds viruses, it immediately informs you and, in most cases, it quarantines/cleans the infected files. An Anti-Virus software needs to be regularly updated.

Browser

A web browser is a software program that allows you to view and explore information on the web. For example, you are using a browser right now to view this webpage. The most popular browsers used today are Firefox, Internet Explorer, Netscape and AOL. A browser enabled you to visit websites, navigate from web page to web page, print web pages and even email. As a security risk, there have been many reports of security bugs in web browsers which can allow hackers and websites to access personal information while you are surfing the web.

Cookies

Cookies are small text files placed on your computer’s hard disk to identify you to a particular website. Cookies indicate to a website that you have been there before and can be used to record what parts of a website you visit. Cookies serve as a convenience to you by creating a more streamlined login process, keeping track of your shopping cart additions and preserving your order information between sessions. This could potentially be linked with other identifying information in building a profile of your buying habits and interests and tailor banner advertising.

Cryptography

Cryptography is the practice and study of transforming information you can read (in plaintext) into information someone cannot read. In this process, information is coded (encryption) to stop information from being read or altered by anyone but the intended recipient. It may be intercepted, but it will not be intelligible to someone without the ability to decode (decryption) the message. Encryption and decryption require a mathematical formula or "algorithm" to convert data between readable and encoded formats and a key. A key is a unique number which is combined with the plaintext to produce the encrypted message or the Digital Signature.

Demoxi Button

When signed in to Demoxi, the Demoxi Button is always visible on your webpage Toolbar as well as in your Tray. When searching the web, the Demoxi Button will serve as a reminder that Demoxi is remembering all your passwords as well as available to you any time you require help completing online forms. The Demoxi Button can be found in two places:

1. The Tray at the bottom of the page. Here it used to open your Desktop, ‘Check for Updates’, open ‘About’ and find out what version of Demoxi you are currently running on your machine, and Exit from ‘Demoxi’ thereby closing Demoxi down
2. Near the Toolbar at the top of the page. Here it used to open your Desktop, open your Demoxi Pallet by selecting “Show Wallet”, open ‘About’ and find out what version of Demoxi you are currently running on your machine.

Demoxi Desktop

The Demoxi desktop is your control panel into managing your online identity. It allows you, amongst other things, to store encrypted personal information, message with other Demoxi members and manage your cookies. For more information, go to http://www.demoxi.com/howto/desktop.php

Digital Certificate

Digital signatures are used to identify authors and co-signers of e-mail or electronic data just like the signature you use on written documents today. Digital signatures are created and verified using Digital Certificates. A digital certificate ensures that someone’s public key is really their public key and not someone else’s. A certificate is a message from a trusted authority that binds a public key to a name, thereby guaranteeing that this public key is really the person’s public key). This trusted authority is called Certificate Authority (CA) and the CA signs the certificate using its own private key. All recipients of a certificate must trust the issuing CA and own its public key in order to read its certificates.

Digital Signatures

Digital signatures are created and verified using Digital Certificates. Digital signatures are used to identify authors and co-signers of e-mail or electronic data just like the signature you use on written documents today. Digital signatures can provide major important functions such as: authentication confidentiality, data integrity and non-repudiation. Today, the legal community is preparing legislation that will make digital signatures as legally binding and universally accepted as the written ones. To sign information, to conduct a secured transaction, you will need your own unique Digital Certificate.

Download

Downloading a file is copying a particular file from the web and placing it on your hard drive. When downloading a file it will ask you where to put the file and will usually suggest a directory. Most software downloads have a default folder where all download files are automatically stored. The danger is that you can contract a computer virus through downloading files to your computer.

Firewall

A device or software designed to prevent or stop unauthorized people from accessing your computer via the internet without permission. A firewall controls all the files that go in and out of your computer. If there is a suspicious file, it will take care of it for you and keep your computer safe.

Freeware or Shareware

Freeware means that the software you want to use is free to use and at no cost. Shareware is also free public software, however, with this software there is an understanding that this trial software and there may be a fee at a later date. For this reason, sometimes shareware comes with an expiration date.

Hacking

In terms of network abuse, the term 'hacker' refers to an illegal use of computer resources in an attempt to gain access to your system for malicious intent. Hackers may be looking for private information like credit card numbers or passwords. They may be searching random information to see what they can retrieve or may be using your computer system to transmit their own information. A true hacker, however, is simply someone who creates and modifies computer software and computer hardware.

HTML

Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is the standard language used to create web pages. These pages or documents are essentially text documents with tags embedded in them indicating color, text formatting, table dimensions, hypertext links, graphics, etc.

HTTP and HTTPS

HTTP stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol and is a set of rules or protocols for transferring files across the web. When web browsers talk to web servers, specifically when finding web pages you request, they speak a language known as HTTP. On these websites the url looks like http://. There are various aspects of HTTP which may allow your surfing activities to be tracked. Other information which may be sent whenever you request a web page includes your e-mail address and the last web page you visited.
HTTPS is a secure version of HTTP that encrypts and decrypts user page requests as well as the web pages. On these websites the URL looks like https://. It uses what is called a SSL (Secure Socket Layer) which means it is encrypted. When visiting sites that have the URL starting with HTTPS you will often receive warnings that you are entering and leaving a secure web page.

Identity Theft

Identity theft is a crime where an individual posing as you is using your personal and private information to obtain credit or other gain. This person is an imposter as is falsely representing themselves as someone else or even a fictitious person in order to commit fraud. It is therefore extremely important to protect your personal information to minimize the potential damage caused by identity theft.

Internet Service Provider (ISP)

An ISP (Internet Service Provider) is an agency or company that provides companies or individuals access to the internet. This is usually as a leased line or dial-up link.

IP Address

Every machine on the Internet has a unique identifying number, called an IP Address. An IP Address is a way to measure a user's unique identity and can be thought of as the equivalent of a computers street address or a phone number. Without an IP address, servers would not be able to deliver content to you, because they would not be able to locate your computer.

Malware

Malicious software is a general term that refers to, amongst other things, viruses, worms and Trojan horses. It is a program that performs unexpected or unauthorized, but always malicious, actions.

“My Wallet”

“My Wallet” has 2 purposes depending on its use:

1. Storage for all your personal information, located in the “My Wallet” tab within the Demoxi desktop. This information is completely encrypted and stored locally on your computer so only you have access to it. Within “My Wallet” you are able to manage which personal attributes you want to make public and which ones you want to remain private. For more information about “My Wallet” go to www.demoxi.com/howto/desktop.php
2. Application tool accessed from the Demoxi button situated within the webpage to help fill online forms. Double clicking the demoxi button will open a replica of your Demoxi ‘My Wallet” It can be used to:
1. Click and drag personal attributes into fields when completing online forms
2. Click and drag existing or Safe Passwords when logging in web pages for the first time

OpenID

OpenID is defined as an open, decentralized, internet-wide identity framework that lets you sign up on web pages without the need to create a 'Username' and 'Password'. Sites that are OpenID compliant list a field for your OpenID account instead of the regular 'Username' and Password login. The number of OpenID compliant sites is growing every day. For more information about what OpenID is and how to use it go to http://www.OpenID.net

Operating System

An operating system (OS) is software that a computer runs that handles all of the details of the exact machine you own. Its role is to provide a selection of useful services that other software can rely on without them needing to worry about the machine details. Every computer has an operating system.

Password Manager

A Password Manager is software that allows you one-click login to many internet accounts. The system stores, manages and helps you organize all your passwords securely in one database. It saves you the trouble of filling in all your logins, passwords and other personal data manually as you surf the net.

Peer to Peer

A term Peer to Peer refers to where a user’s computer is connected directly from one user to another over the internet, often within a network. This means that individual users connect to each other directly, without need for a central point of management or hub. A hub can be a major traffic bottleneck as well as a security risk. Peer-to-peer networks are online communities where members share, search and download files which are located on their computers. Each member of the community has its own collection of files which it shares with others in the community. There is no central computer where files are stored.

Phishing

Phishing (Pronounced fishing) is the act of tricking someone into giving up sensitive information or into doing something they normally wouldn't or shouldn't do. This scam sends users a simple e-mail that looks like it came from an Internet Service Provider (ISP) or any major company. The e-mail states there is a problem with your account or it advises you of a "Fraud Alert". The e-mail will say that in order to correct the problem they need you click on the link in the e-mail. The link will take you to a web site that asks you to provide confidential information such as Social Security and credit card numbers. But neither the originating email nor web page is what it appears to be. If you fill in the information, you are giving your personal information to people that are going use it for "no good".

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) enables users of an unsecure public network, like the internet, to privately and securely exchange information through use of public and private cryptographic keys, obtained and shared through a trusted authority. The public key infrastructure assumes the use of public key cryptography, which is the most common method on the internet for authenticating a message sender or encrypting a message.
Within a public key cryptography system, 2 keys are necessary for both parties to exchange information securely (a public key and a private key). If one key is used to encrypt a message, then only the other key in the pair can be used to decrypt it. Therefore, it is safe to openly distribute your public key for everyone to use, but it is essential that your private key remains closely guarded. The public key can be used to verify a message signed with the private key or encrypt messages that can only be decrypted using the private key. If someone wants to send you an encrypted message, they encrypt the message with your public key and you, being the sole possessor of the corresponding private key of the pair, are the only one who can decrypt it.

Private Beta

Private Beta is a testing format where a technology company can release new software so that only a limited number of users can access and test it. Once the final product is ready the private beta will cease and then the software will be released.

Public Beta

Public Beta is the first version of software that is released to the general public. It is the final step before rolling out a software product as an official public release. The purpose of a beta release is to get real life testing of the software. People are encouraged to provide feedback and report on any issues encountered during the Beta period. This information is fed back to the development teams who work on improvements before final release.

Safe Password

A Demoxi Safe Password is a safer password that Demoxi makes available to you so that they can be used them on websites you visit. Each Safe Password is specific to that site. A Safe Password is much safer than a traditional password for 2 reasons:

1. A Safe Password is very difficult to guess because it has random numbers, letters and punctuation in it.
2. It is very difficult for a criminal to steal your Safe Password. A Safe Password is made from your Demoxi sign-on password and the particular website’s address. Each website has a unique Safe Password. So, even if a criminal fools you into going to his site instead of, say, your bank, Demoxi won’t provide your banks Safe Password. Demoxi will provide a useless safe Password that is unique for that criminal’s website, not your banks website.

Search Engines

Web-based software tools that allow you to search for information on the Internet like Google or Yahoo offer facilities to search for people. It is a web site visitors can use to search the internet. If your name appears somewhere on the Internet then these search engines can find it.

Server

A server is a machine that provides different types of services, which other machines request to do certain tasks. Servers are run through specialized computers, which are, ironically, also called servers. In other words, a server serves the information needed to a computer that it is connected with, so you can access your programs, files, etc. There are different types of servers that you may have running through your system. One is a print server that connects your computer with the printer. Another is a web server, which enables you to visit web sites each day. When you type in a URL, that web site has to send a request to the web server so you can then view and browse through it. Then there is the file server stores the files we save and then deliver them to us when we need them. The e-mail server is what allows us to send and receive the e-mails.

Single Sign on (SSO)

Single Sign-On (SSO) is a service which allows users to provide their Username and Password only once to a trusted service and then be able to access securely, consistently and seamlessly to multiple web sites and applications. The process authenticates the user and enables the user access to all the applications he or she has been authorized to access. The advantages include only needing to type your Username and Password once per session, being able to use that one username and password to allow you access to many services, only having to provide your password to one trusted application at a well known URL and that you can be confident that your Username and Password are treated securely.

Spam

Nearly everyone has purchased something over the Internet and had their e-mail address published on a website. Sometimes you have subscribed/participated in an online service. As these public sources can be harvested for e-mail addresses you will get spam.

Spoofing

Online spoofing is the act of a sender secretly tricking your web browser into talking to a different web server than you intend by changing the name in the outgoing email. In this way it looks like it comes from someone else or somewhere else. It is what is commonly referred to as on-line camouflage with the aim of posing as an unauthorized user often with dire consequences. For instance, sometimes those emails will have an attached virus.

Spyware

It is a program that can be secretly attached to files you download from the internet. As soon as it is downloaded it installs itself in your PC without your knowledge, and starts to monitor your internet activity. The monitored information is then transmitted to a third party, in most cases to companies which are interested in creating your personal profile. Later on, it will start sending you advertising or other data.

SSL

SSL (Secure Socket Layer) is a security protocol or secure set of rules used to protect your information when you send and receive personal documents. SSL uses 2key cryptography to encrypt the data: a public key known to everyone and a private secret key known only to the recipient of the message. For more information refer to Cryptography and Digital Certificates.

Threshold Key Recovery

Threshold Key Recovery is a process where you elect a number of friends who contribute together to supply you with a password you have forgotten. While the friends separately hold a secret piece of the puzzle that is not of any significance, together the password can be reconstructed and recovered. The member also has the ability to adjust the threshold of how many friends are required, or how many pieces, are needed to recover that password.

Toolbar

A toolbar is an easy-to-use group of buttons that sits in your Internet browser. It is typically a horizontal column of selectable buttons that appear below the address bar in your web browser. It gives you an easy way to select certain desktop and other applications when you surf the net. For instance, you can search global and local search engines, your desired sites, latest news and links to websites of your choice, chat and listens to online radio.

Tray

Also called the System Tray, this feature sits in a section at the one end of the Windows Taskbar along the bottom of your screen. It is used to display the clock and icons of certain programs so that a user is continually reminded that they are there and can easily click on them. Common icons include volume control for sound, anti-virus software, player control and wireless connections.

URL

A URL is an address on the internet that always begins with http://. They are case-sensitive so it needs to be exactly copied. Most, however, are in lower case. To view a particular web site, you need enter the URL web address into the address field of the browser.

Virus

A virus is a program that attaches itself to another program or file in order to spread and reproduce itself without the knowledge of the user. More often than not viruses enter computers through spam email with attachments. Viruses can cause computers to behave strangely or even damage files.

Web Site

A web site is a set of web pages published by an organization or individual. The detail, quality, and style of web sites vary enormously. The web provides a forum to publish, collaborate, and process information and daily tasks.

Widget

A widget is a small, portable software application or module that you can share with your audience. They consist of content and functionality that can be packaged and shared with other websites, desktops or devices. They maintain your look and feel, are centrally managed and represent your brand wherever they live. Many common basic widgets are calculators, clocks and weather forecasts. More complicated widgets included monitoring local traffic flows, your stocks movements or airline flights arrivals and departures. Because they don't take up very much space, they look fun and can handle live data, widgets can be perfect alternatives to website based content.

Worm

A worm is a type of virus that replicated itself across a computer systems network. It can can shut down a computer, consume bandwidth or even harm a computer. While a virus can’t replicate itself, a worm can. A Virus also only affects the invaded computer. A worm uses a computer network in order to multiply itself and then send copies to other systems.

“Your Circle”

“Your Circle” is a feature under your Demoxi “Messages” that lists all your personal contacts. The contacts are subdivided under “Inner Circle” and “Others”. “Inner Circle” are your closest friends while “Others” are those friends in your outer circle. “Your Circle” also lists the status of members: are they currently active, offline or idle. For more information about “Your Circle” go to http://www.demoxi.com/howto/desktop.php