Tech Concepts & Terminology
The basic “language” computers use
Binary
A device that forwards traffic between networks using IP addresses.
Router
Software that manages hardware resources and provides services to applications.
OS
A set of step-by-step instructions to solve a problem.
algorithm
A collection of related data organized for easy access and management.
Database
A measurement of how many bits of data can be transmitted per second
Bandwidth
A device that connects devices in a LAN and forwards frames using MAC addresses.
Switch
Software updates that fix vulnerabilities and bugs.
Patches
A mistake in code that causes incorrect behavior.
Bug
A database structure where data is stored in rows and columns.
Table
The process of turning readable data into coded data to protect confidentiality.
Encryption
A security feature that separates a network into smaller broadcast domains.
VLAN
A program that looks like a legitimate application but performs harmful actions
Trojan
A secure development practice where you search for weaknesses before release.
Code Review
A field (or set of fields) that uniquely identifies each record in a table.
Primary Keys
A unique identifier assigned to a network interface card, typically shown in hex.
MAC address
A protocol that automatically assigns IP addresses and network settings to clients.
DHCP
A tool built into many operating systems that lets you remove or roll back software changes
System Restore
The process of recording changes to code so teams can collaborate and roll back if needed.
Version Control
A backup approach that copies only the data that changed since the last backup.
Incremental backup
A troubleshooting method where you test one variable at a time to narrow the cause of a problem.
Divide and Conquer
A concept where computing resources (servers, storage) are delivered over the internet on demand.
Cloud Computing
The “least risky” way to test a new application before deploying it to everyone.
Testing sandbox / pilot / staged rollout
A security risk where untrusted input is treated as code or commands (often seen in web apps)
Injection
A policy or principle that ensures users only access the data they need to do their job.
Least privileges