Glossary

ARCHIVED 2023-11-09, DATE APPROXIMATE · VERSION 20231109_rev01 · COMPARED WITH 20231001_rev01

Full text changes — 20231001_rev01 to 20231109_rev01

COLOUR MARKS THE SEVERITY OF A FLAGGED CLAUSE · + AND − MARK ADDED AND REMOVED

 ## B
 [Big tech](https://brave.com/glossary/big-tech/)
 "Big tech" is a blanket term for large tech companies that make widely used hardware and software, and generally have a huge amount of influence on technology, the Internet, and the economy as a whole. When capitalized as "Big Tech," the term often refers to five companies: Amazon, Apple, Google (or Alphabet), Meta (formerly Facebook), and Microsoft. Several of the major Internet brands you may know are actually part of these companies, such as YouTube (Google), Instagram and WhatsApp (Meta), and LinkedIn (Microsoft).
+[Botnet](https://brave.com/glossary/botnet/)
+A shortening of the term "robot network," a botnet is a network of compromised devices used to perform malicious tasks. A compromised device can be any device that's Internet accessible-things like computers, mobile phones, smart-home devices, even routers and servers. Often these devices are owned by private individuals, and have become compromised without the owner's knowledge. A botnet can be used for activities like sending spam email, installing malware to steal login credentials, or cyberattacks on businesses or governments.
 [Bounce tracking](https://brave.com/glossary/bounce-tracking/)
 Bounce tracking is a technique used by Web trackers. It involves inserting an intermediary link between you and the website you want to visit, allowing a tracker to know you and / or your interests, and thus use this data to sell more targeted ads. This technique is also sometimes known as "redirect tracking."
 [Browser](https://brave.com/glossary/browser/)
 A certificate is a digital document that a website or other Internet service uses to prove its identity to users. If you see a lock icon in your Web browser's address bar, that means the website you're viewing has presented a valid certificate. And this generally means that anyone who might be spying on your Internet connection (like someone else on your Wi-Fi network) wouldn't be able to see or modify the content you're seeing on that website.
 [Client](https://brave.com/glossary/client/)
 A client is the hardware or software that accesses a service on a server. The term "client" may refer to a person using the service, or a piece of software (like a Web browser) or hardware (like a phone or computer) the person is using to access the service. A server is a piece of software or hardware whose purpose is to offer a service over a computer network, such as the Internet.
+[CNAME](https://brave.com/glossary/cname/)
+An abbreviation for Canonical Name, CNAME is a type of DNS record used to associate an alternative or secondary domain name with its main domain name. The returned canonical name can then be used to look up the IP address.
 [Cookie](https://brave.com/glossary/cookie/)
 A cookie is a small piece of data that a website (the server) places on your device (the client). The exact meaning of cookie contents is specific to each website. In some cases these are benign, and required for the site or app to function (e.g. to know you put an item in a shopping cart). In other cases, cookies can be used to track your browsing activity, search history, and to follow you across the Web. Note that the term "cookie" is used in two different ways: to describe a specific way of setting values on browsers; and as a general term for all ways sites can store values on clients.
 [Cyberbullying](https://brave.com/glossary/cyberbullying/)
 ## D
 [Dark Web](https://brave.com/glossary/dark-web/)
 The Dark Web is the portion of the Internet that can only be accessed through specific software. Most casual surfing of the Web takes place on a small piece (5-10%) of the total World Wide Web; this is sometimes called the Surface Web. The other 90-95%-the Deep Web-is basically all the content not indexed by search engines. The Dark Web, by turn, is a fractional part of the larger Deep Web, and requires special browsers to view and navigate.
+[Data breach](https://brave.com/glossary/data-breach/)
+The unauthorized access or release of sensitive information, often due to a cyber attack or human error. Breaches occur when data stored in one system (often that of a business or government) ends up in unauthorized hands. A data breach can be harmful to both the owners of the database and the people whose data was released.
 [Database](https://brave.com/glossary/database/)
 A database is an organized collection of data, stored and accessed electronically, usually via a computer system. A database can be small or large, simple or complex depending on the situation. It can contain any type of information, and is a critical component of many computer systems.
 [Deep Web](https://brave.com/glossary/deep-web/)
 ## G
 [GDPR](https://brave.com/glossary/gdpr/)
 The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a European Union (EU) law. It provides individuals with rights over the use of their personal data, and sets out rules that companies and organizations must follow when collecting and using personal data about individuals. GDPR has been in force since 2018.
+[Geolocation](https://brave.com/glossary/geolocation/)
+Geolocation is the process of determining the physical location of a device, either via GPS, cellular network, Wi-Fi system, Bluetooth signal, or IP address tracking. While some of these methods return only an approximate location, others can determine very precise location or even altitude.
 ## H
 [HTML](https://brave.com/glossary/html/)
 HTML (short for "HyperText Markup Language") is a system of special notations that specify what a webpage should look like and how it should work. HTML is how webpages-including their text, images, tables, links, forms, and so on-are transmitted over the Internet to your device. HTML is the standard coding (or "markup") language used to build pages that render in a Web browser.
 [ISP](https://brave.com/glossary/isp/)
 An Internet service provider (ISP) can provide home or work access to the Web, along with things like domain name registration and Web hosting. For many home Internet users, being online means all data must go through some sort of ISP (and this ISP can see all your traffic and online activity unless you take steps to prevent it). Some examples of ISPs include Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon.
 ## K
+[Keylogger](https://brave.com/glossary/keylogger/)
+A keylogger is a type of software or hardware used to monitor and record keystrokes on a computer or device. A keylogger can be installed and run with or without permission of the device's user. The output is a readable file, containing everything typed by the device user, that can later be transmitted to another person.
 [KYC](https://brave.com/glossary/kyc/)
 KYC stands for "Know Your Customer." The term refers to the practices that financial institutions-like banks and payment services-use to make sure they know the true identities of the people and organizations they serve, and to assess the risks of serving them. The term can also refer to the government regulations that require these practices. Financial regulators require institutions to have robust KYC, as part of their effort to fight financial crime.
 ## M
 Randomness is the property of lacking structure or organization, or otherwise being unpredictable. In the context of digital security, randomness plays an important role in cryptography and encryption-often used to generate random strings of characters and numbers known as "keys."
 [Ransomware](https://brave.com/glossary/ransomware/)
 Ransomware is a type of malicious software (malware) that encrypts the contents of your device so it's unusable, then offers to restore your device (your phone, computer, or tablet) in exchange for a payment to the ransomware operator.
+[Resource](https://brave.com/glossary/resource/)
+A resource is anything that can be used to perform a task or achieve a goal. In computing, system resources refer to things like CPU, memory, hard drive storage, network bandwidth, and battery life.
 [Retargeting](https://brave.com/glossary/retargeting/)
 Retargeting is a specific type of ad targeting, in which you're shown ads for something that you've shown interest in buying. For example, if you put an item in your shopping cart on an e-commerce site, but you don't check out, you might start seeing ads for that item all over the Web. Those ads are retargeted.
 ## S
 Social engineering describes a variety of tactics used by malicious actors to trick an individual into doing something they wouldn't normally do, especially (but not exclusively) online. Phishing is one common type of online social engineering; others include scareware, pretexting, and pharming. The success of a social engineering attack often relies on manipulating an individual person, rather than attacking a whole system, or a company's software or hardware.
 [Spam](https://brave.com/glossary/spam/)
 Spam is unwanted, unsolicited communications such as emails, text messages (SMS), or calls, sent in bulk to many recipients at once.
+[Spoofing](https://brave.com/glossary/spoofing/)
+Spoofing is the falsification of data or information to deceive or mislead, often in a cyber attack. A malicious actor will fake a communication (like a text or email) or a website to appear legitimate, with the intent of tricking their target into giving data or money, opening access to a system, or installing malware.
 [Storage](https://brave.com/glossary/storage/)
 Storage is a general term in computing that means keeping data over a period of time. In the context of Web browsers, it has a more specific meaning: Web browsers set aside a limited amount of space on your device, where websites can store data. This is usually called "local storage." Common uses of local storage are to store your settings for the site (such as your dark mode / light mode preferences) and to save work in progress. Some sites may also use local storage to enable limited offline functionality (such as the ability to continue editing a Google doc, even without a Wi-Fi connection).
 [Surveillance economy](https://brave.com/glossary/surveillance-economy/)
 ## V
 [VPN](https://brave.com/glossary/vpn/)
 A virtual private network (VPN) enables data to be sent from your device over the Internet (e.g. to a website) via an encrypted tunnel. VPNs can be used to remotely access private networks, or to shield personal info like your IP address, and generally allow for added privacy and security. But note that not all VPNs are created equal.
+## W
+[WebRTC](https://brave.com/glossary/webrtc/)
+WebRTC, an abbreviation for Web Real-Time Communication, is an Internet protocol that enables audio and video communication directly in Web browsers, as well as the exchange of data files. WebRTC supports applications like video conferencing (e.g. Zoom meetings), communication with Internet enabled devices (e.g. smart thermostats), online multi-person gaming, and more. WebRTC capabilities are embedded within the user's chosen browser, so there's no need to install or open separate software in order to connect with other people or devices.