Glossary for Password Module
- Password- A secret word or other string of characters used by authorized persons to prove their right to access
- Cybersecurity- Precautions taken to guard against crime that involves the internet, especially unauthorized access to computer systems and data connected to the internet
- Rational Choice Theory- Rational thinking influenced certain decisions or behaviors. People make decisions based on a calculated cost-benefit analysis. (“What do I gain and/or lose from a specific action?”). Gary Becker.
- Authentication ensures that the individual is who she claims to be (the authentic or genuine person) and not an imposter. A person accessing the web server that contains a user’s credit card number must prove that she is indeed who she claims to be and not a fraudulent attacker. One way in which authentication can be performed is by the person providing a password that only she knows.
- Confidentiality ensures that only authorized parties can view the information. Providing confidentiality can involve several different security tools, ranging from software to “scramble” the credit card number stored on the web server to door locks to prevent access to those servers.
- Integrity ensures that the information is correct and no unauthorized person or malicious software has altered the data. In the example of the online purchase, an attacker who could change the amount of a purchase from $10,000.00 to $1.00 would violate the integrity of the information.
- Availability ensures that data is accessible to authorized users (and that the information is not “locked up” so tight that they cannot access it).
- Brute Force Attack- A type of attack that relies purely on trial and error
- Dictionary Attacks- Attempts to crack a password by testing it against a list of dictionary words
- Vulnerability- Capable of or susceptible to being attacked