P964 APR
Cable Router with 802.11g Access Point
Glossary
I
Pirated Software
Software that has been illegally copied, or that is being used in violation of the software's
licensing agreement. Pirated software is often distributed through pirate bulletin boards or on the
Internet. In the internet underground it is known as Warez.
Plain Text
The opposite of Cipher Text, Plain Text is readable by anyone.
PNS
PPTP Network Server. A PNS must have IP connectivity.
POP
Post Office Protocol. This is a common protocol used for sending, receiving, and delivering mail
messages.
Port
An Internet port refers to a number that is part of a URL, appearing after a colon (:) right after
the domain name. Every service on an Internet server listens on a particular port number on that
server. Most services have standard port numbers, e.g. Web servers normally listen on port 80.
Port (H/W)
An interface on a computer for connecting peripherals or devices to the computer. A printer port,
for example, is an interface that is designed to have a printer connected to it. Ports can be defined
by specific hardware (such as a keyboard port) or through software.
POTS
Plain Old Telephone Service is the analog telephone service that runs over copper twisted-pair
wires and is based on the original Bell telephone system. Twisted-pair wires connect homes and
businesses to a neighborhood central office. This is called the local loop. The central office is
connected to other central offices and long-distance facilities.
PPP
Point to Point Protocol. PPP encapsulates and transmits IP (Internet Protocol) datagrams over
serial point-to-point links. PPP works with other protocols such as IPX (Internetwork Packet
Exchange). The protocol is defined in IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) RFC 1661 through
1663. PPP provides router-to-router, host-to-router, and host-to-host connections.
PPTP
Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol.
Promiscuous Packet
Capture
Actively capturing packet information from a network. Most computers only collect packets
specifically addressed to them. Promiscuous packet capture acquires all network traffic it can
regardless of where the packets are addressed.
Protocol
A “language” for communicating on a network. Protocols are sets of standards or rules used to
define, format, and transmit data across a network. There are many different protocols used on
networks. For example, most web pages are transmitted using the HTTP protocol.
Proxy Server
A server that performs network operations in lieu of other systems on the network. Proxy Servers
are most often used as part of a firewall to mask the identity of users inside a corporate network
yet still provide access to the Internet. When a user connects to a proxy server, via a web browser
or other networked application, he submits commands to the proxy server. The server then
submits those same commands to the Internet, yet without revealing any information about the
system that originally requested the information. Proxy servers are an ideal way to also have all
users on a corporate network channel through one point for all external communications. Proxy
servers can be configured to block certain kinds of connections and stop some hacks.
PSTN
Public Switched Telephone Network was put into place many years ago as a voice telephone
call-switching system. The system transmits voice calls as analog signals across copper twisted
cables from homes and businesses to neighborhood COs (central offices); this is often called the
local loop. The PSTN is a circuit-switched system, meaning that an end-to-end private circuit is
established between caller and callee.
Public Key
Encryption
System of encrypting electronic files using a key pair. The key pair contains a public key used
during encryption, and a corresponding private key used during decryption.
PVC
Permanent Virtual Circuit. A PVC is a logical point-to-point circuit between customer sites.
PVCs are low-delay circuits because routing decisions do not need to be made along the way.
Permanent means that the circuit is preprogrammed by the carrier as a path through the network.
It does not need to be set up or torn down for each session.
Ranging
The process of automatically adjusting transmission levels and time offsets of individual modems
in order to make sure the bursts coming from different modems line up in the right timeslots and
are received at the same power level at the CMTS.
Reconnaissance
The finding and observation of potential targets for a cracker to attack.
RFC
An RFC (Request for Comments) is an Internet formal document or standard that is the result of
committee drafting and subsequent review by interested parties. Some RFCs are informational in
nature. Of those that are intended to become Internet standards, the final version of the RFC
becomes the standard and no further comments or changes are permitted. Change can occur,
however, through subsequent RFCs.
RIP
Routing Information Protocol is an interior or intra-domain routing protocol that uses the
distance-vector routing algorithms. RIP is used on the Internet and is common in the NetWare
environment as a method for exchanging routing information between routers.
Router
A device that connects two networks together. Routers monitor, direct, and filter information that
passes between these networks. Because of their location, routers are a good place to install
traffic or mail filters. Routers are also prone to attacks because they contain a great deal of
information about a network.
SAP
In NetWare, the SAP (Service Advertising Protocol) broadcasts information about available
services on the network that other network devices can listen to. A server sends out SAP
