Glossary

The 5th generation of cellular technology, providing a theoretical peak speed of 20 Gbps as opposed to the older 4G networks, which only provided 1 Gbps. Other improvements include lower latency and better performance.

Cisco. (2022, December 30). What is 5G? - how does 5G network technology work. Cisco. https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/solutions/what-is-5g.html. Accessed 12 Sept.2023.

A loss of signal strength from networking cables or connections. An example of attenuation is when a home Wi-Fi signal strength becomes weaker the further a device is from the router. Attenuation affects both wired and wireless connections. Factors that can cause attenuation are physical surroundings such as a wall, distance, and large amounts of frequency and noise.

“What Is Attenuation | Meaning of Signal Attenuation | Computer Networks | CompTIA.” Default, https://www.comptia.org/content/guides/what-is-attenuation. Accessed 30 Aug 2023.

The maximum amount of data that can be translated to another point. The slower the speed of which the data is transmitting to and from the network, the bigger the bandwidth delay. Agora, Team. “What’s the Difference between Bandwidth and Latency in Real-Time Communication?” Agora, 8 Nov. 2022, www.agora.io/en/blog/difference-between-bandwidth-and-latency/. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023

The measurement of the speed at which data is transferred or processed. This may refer to the transfer speed of a network or data connection, or to the data required per second to store and play an encoded media file. In both cases, the bit rate is measured in bits per second (bps), kilobits per second (Kbps), megabits per second (Mbps), or gigabits per second (Gbps).

Bitrate Definition - What Does Bitrate Measure? https://techterms.com/definition/bitrate. Accessed 18 Sept. 2023.

The process of inserting of non-informational bits in the data that is being transferred to assist in the process of marking the start and the end of the frame data. This is useful when used on variable-length data.

Datta, Subham, and Subham Datta. “Bit Stuffing | Baeldung on Computer Science.” Baeldung on Computer Science, Nov. 2022, www.baeldung.com/cs/bit-stuffing. Accessed 18 Sep. 2023

Refers to a gateway protocol that enables the Internet to exchange routing information between autonomous systems (AS). As networks interact with each other, they need a way to communicate, through what is known as peering.

“What Is BGP? Border Gateway Protocol Explained,” Fortinet, https://www.fortinet.com/resources/cyberglossary/bgp-border-gateway-protocol. Accessed Sep. 18, 2023.

Areas of temporary memory storage. The data is retrieved from an input before it is sent as an output, and can be placed in hardware to provide a fixed location for temporary data storage. An example of a buffer would be letting a YouTube video load by pausing it before watching it, as it creates a temporary memory of the video, causing it to load faster.

Hartleb, Franz, et al. “Network Planning and Dimensioning for Broadband Access to the Internet Regarding Quality of Service Demands:” Advances in E-Business Research, edited by In Lee, IGI Global, 2009, pp. 852–66. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-60566-194-0.ch054. Accessed 18 Sept 2023.

Also known as byte stuffing, character stuffing allows one to "stuff" the data section of a frame with an extra byte which the receiver will recognize. This extra byte will be given a specific sequence that tells the receiver to treat the following character as data in order to mark the beginning and end of a frame. It works similarly to bit stuffing, but with bytes instead of bits.

"Definition of 'Character Stuffing'". Engineeringslab, https://engineeringslab.com/all_engineerings_dictionary_terms/character-stuffing.htm. Accessed Sep. 18, 2023.

A computed value that is used in error-checking or detecting that seeks to ensure the integrity of data. As it relates to transmitted data, a checksum is calculated on the data segment prior to being transmitted. Because changes to a single bit results in a completely different hash value if a bit is altered during transmission, a flag is raised.

Baeldung. CRC Vs Checksum | Baeldung on Computer Science. 16 Oct. 2020, https://www.baeldung.com/cs/crc-vs-checksum.

Refers to information that is not encrypted, and is not expected to be encrypted. An important distinction between cleartext and plaintext is that cleartext is not encrypted at any stage. This is why HTTP traffic sent over port 80 is considered vulnerable.

“What is Cleartext? | Security Encyclopedia.” [Online]. Available: https://www.hypr.com/security-encyclopedia/cleartext. Accessed: Oct. 10, 2023.

An architecture for computing that enables the separation of functions between front-end data entry and display (client) and back-end request processing (server) in order to bolster the productivity and efficiency of each. This form of distributed computing aims to spread the workload between two devices connected via a network. A smartphone or computer web browser communicating with a Google web server to return results for a query requesting "what is client-server computing" is an example of the client-server architecture in action.

Sulyman, Shakirat. (2014). Client-Server Model. IOSR Journal of Computer Engineering. 16. 57-71. 10.9790/0661-16195771.

Convergence in networking refers to the integration of different types of data, including data, streaming media, and telephony/VoIP into a single, unified network, resulting in improved efficiency, reliability, and security.

“What Is Network Convergence? | VMware Glossary.” VMware, https://www.vmware.com/topics/glossary/content/network-convergence.html.

Units of information collected into one package for Internet Protocol (IPs) transmissions on the Internet. Any bit of data that needs to be sent from one system to another must first be broken into smaller pieces to facilitate efficient and reliable communication. Upon reaching the endpoint, these pieces are then reassembled.

Techslang. “What Is a Data Packet? — Definition by Techslang.” Techslang — Tech Explained in Simple Terms, 1 Apr. 2020, https://www.techslang.com/definition/what-is-a-data-packet/. Accessed 24 Aug. 2023.

A unit of data with a payload and header used to transfer data over a network. The header contains information such as the protocol type, source and destination addresses, and packet length. The payload is the actual data being transmitted. Datagrams are an efficient way of transmitting large data over a network as they can be broken down into smaller pieces that are transmitted individually. Some errors that can occur with datagrams include the data arriving out of order or the data failing to reach their intended destination.

Datagram Definition - Glossary | NordVPN. 29 Mar. 2023, https://nordvpn.com/cybersecurity/glossary/datagram/. Accessed 11 Sept 2023.

A government agency under the U.S. Department of Defense that focuses on the development of new technologies in order to maintain and advance the technical capabilities of the U.S. military. While DARPA's primary focus is on advancing defense capabilities, its research often has significant impact the private sector and society as a whole. Some examples of innovative technologies and workflows include the Internet itself, GPS, and agile methodologies.

Gallo, Marcy. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency: Overview and Issues for Congress. R45088, 19 Aug. 2021, https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R45088/15. Accessed 25 Aug. 2023.

Converts domain names into IP addresses, which allow browsers to get to websites and other Internet resources. Every device on the internet has an IP address, which other devices can use to locate the device. Instead of memorizing a long list of IP addresses, people can simply enter the name of the website, and the DNS gets the IP address for them.

“What is domain name system (DNS)?,” Fortinet, https://www.fortinet.com/resources/cyberglossary/what-is-dns. Accessed Oct. 2, 2023.

Ports that are selected from a predefined range of 49152-65535. Once the tasks that are mapped to the dynamic port are completed, it is released back into the pool of ports. This helps when there are multiple connections to reduce network conflicts.

Dynamic Ports Definition - Glossary | NordVPN. 23 May 2023, https://nordvpn.com/cybersecurity/glossary/dynamic-ports/. Accessed October 2, 2023

A device or node that connects to the LAN or WAN and accepts communications back and forth across the network. Examples include a modem, hub, bridge, switch, router, printer, workstation, etc.

A Simple Definition: What Is an Endpoint? https://www.druva.com/blog/simple-definition-endpoint. Accessed 12 Sept. 2023.

Ethernet is a networking and communications technology that specifies the protocol, port, cable, and computer chip needed to plug a desktop or laptop into a local area network (LAN) for physical, or wired, data transmission via cables. While they are generally quite hardy, there is always a risk that Ethernet cables can be damaged, especially if you plug and unplug them often.

Hill, Simon. “Everything You Need to Know about Ethernet.” Wired, Conde Nast, 20 Apr. 2023, www.wired.com/story/what-is-ethernet/. Accessed 24 Aug. 2023.

“What Is Ethernet? Definition, Types, and Uses.” Spiceworks, https://www.spiceworks.com/tech/networking/articles/what-is-ethernet/. Accessed 25 Aug. 2023.

A type of cable that uses light rather than electricity to transmit information. This method offers better performance than its copper counterpart, allowing for greater coverage and less signal degradation.

Douglas. “Fiber Optic Cable Types: A Complete Guide.” cablematters, 15 Aug. 2023, www.cablematters.com/Blog/Networking/fiber-optic-cable-types-a-complete-guide. Accessed 24 Aug. 2023.

An attack leveraged by mistyping or mistakenly entering a domain name that looks the same, but is missing a letter or some other mistake. This attacks occurs when an error in the domain name arrives to a different than expected website, that might contain malicious intentions, leveraging a domain name look-a-like. Umawing, Jovi. “Out of Character: Homograph Attacks Explained | Malwarebytes Labs.” Malwarebytes, 6 Oct. 2017, www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2017/10/out-of-character-homograph-attacks-explained. Accessed 10 Oct. 2023.

Refers to the number of routers that a packet (a portion of data) passes through from its source to its destination as it travels through the network traveling through to the next connection available. “What Are Hops & Hop Counts?” Lifewire, https://www.lifewire.com/what-are-hops-hop-counts-2625905. Accessed 25 Sept. 2023.

Primarily responsible for maintaining top level domain names, IP address and protocol number databases. The organization also provides coordination of IPv4 and IPv6 addresses for carriers and Internet service providers. IANA does not have jurisdiction over Internet activity and does not resolve IP address conflicts.

“Definition of IANA.” PCMAG, https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/iana. Accessed 25 Sept 2023.

A protocol on the application level that allows for the modification and access to emails on a server. IMAP allows for access to the email without download, keeping the email on the server, and preventing potentially compromising downloads.

Glossary — Computer Networking : Principles, Protocols and Practice. https://beta.computer-networking.info/syllabus/default/glossary.html. Accessed 10 Oct. 2023

Refers to how much delay there is between when a signal is sent from point to a network connection. Jitter can be caused by multiple factors such as bad hardware, congestion on the network, or ping prioritization. Services like VOIP and video calls can be highly impacted by jitter.

IR Team. "Network Jitter - Common Causes and Best Solutions." Integrated Research, https://www.ir.com/guides/what-is-network-jitter. Accessed 25 Sept. 2023.

With a load fluctuation, the load refers to the amount of traffic or activity received by a server. Fluctuations in the amount of data flowing into and out of a server can cause service issues. Often, the term load balancing will be used to address load fluctuation issues, which consists of adding additional servers to a domain.

Tadić, Bosiljka. “Cyclical Trends of Network Load Fluctuations in Traffic Jamming.” Dynamics, vol. 2, no. 4, Dec. 2022, pp. 449–61. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.3390/dynamics2040026.

Also known as an "intermediary" or "middle-man", a proxy serves as a go-between for a client and server. Traffic that is proxied has requests and responses relayed to their respective endpoints. Since a proxy typically maintains its own IP address, the IP of the actual requester provides a surface level anonymity to the server returning the original requester's response as it must be forwarded through the intermediary.

“What is a Proxy Server? Definition, Uses & More,” Fortinet. https://www.fortinet.com/resources/cyberglossary/proxy-server (accessed Sep. 12, 2023).

Used in wireless telecommunications for transmission of sound waves in communications or navigation. Britannica. “Electromagnetic Radiation - Radio Waves.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 2019, www.britannica.com/science/electromagnetic-radiation/Radio-waves. Accessed 12 Sept. 2023

A table or database that stores the location of routers based on their IP addresses and acts as an address map to adjacent networks

Identifies the position of the first data byte in a segment, serving as a counter of each byte sent by a host machine in TCP. The number is used to identify any data that might be missing or duplicate. It helps to also note how much data was sent or received. Gupta, Trapti. "TCP Sequence Number and Wrap Around Concept" Scaler Topics. https://www.scaler.com/topics/tcp-sequence-number. Accessed Sept. 28, 2023.

A combination of IP address and software port number used for communication between multiple processes, used to allow the transmission of information between two processes from the same machines or different machines on a network. The socket helps recognize the address of the application the data is being sent to by utilizing the IP address and port numbers.

Gupta, Trapti. “Socket Programming in Computer Network.” Scaler Topics, 19 Aug. 2022, https://www.scaler.com/topics/computer-network/socket-programming/. Accessed October 3, 2023.

The server’s way of responding to the client. The code response is a three-digit integer. The first integer defines the type of response, and the last two are the role of the response. Examples of first value codes are 1xx informational, 2xx success, 3xx redirection, 4xx client error, and 5xx server error.

“A Complete Guide and List of HTTP Status Codes.” Kinsta®, 24 Feb. 2020, https://kinsta.com/blog/http-status-codes/. Accessed 9 Oct. 2023.

A 32-bit address that is used to identify and create smaller networks in a larger network. A subnet defines a range of IP addresses and routes them into defined network. For example, the mask 255.255.255.0 is a class C network and can have a maximum of 254 addresses.

"What Is a Subnet Mask? Definition, Working, and Benefits", Kanade, Vijay. https://www.spiceworks.com/tech/networking/articles/what-is-subnet-mask/. [Accessed September 20,2023].

A group of protocols that provide authentication and encryption for communication between a client and web server. TLS is commonly implemented on the server side to conduct the authentication. Most ecommerce websites use TLS to help protect financial or transactional information that is sent between the client and server.

Regenscheid, Andrew, and Geoff Beier. Security Best Practices for the Electronic Transmission of Election Materials for UOCAVA Voters. NIST Internal or Interagency Report (NISTIR) 7711, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 15 Sept. 2011. csrc.nist.gov, https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.7711. Accessed 16 Oct 2023.

A protocol of the transport layer in the TCP/IP protocol suite that provides an unreliable connectionless service that includes a mechanism to detect corruption in situations where TCP might be too latent, and speed is a priority. This transport layer protocol can detect corruption, but it is less reliable since it does not utilize handshaking or flow control.

"Glossary — Computer Networking : Principles, Protocols and Practice.” Available: https://beta.computer-networking.info/syllabus/default/glossary.html. Accessed: Oct. 03, 2023.