McAfee MIS09EMB3RAA User Guide - Page 247

Glossary 245 plain text Text that is not encrypted. See also encryption (page 241). plugin, plug-in A small software program that adds features to or enhances a larger piece of software. For example, plug-ins permit a web browser to access and execute files embedded in HTML documents that are in formats the browser normally would not recognize, such as animation, video, and audio files. POP3 Post Office Protocol 3. An interface between an email client program and the email server. Most home users have a POP3 email account, also known as standard email account. popups Small windows that appear on top of other windows on your computer screen. Pop-up windows are often used in web browsers to display advertisements. port A hardware location for passing data in and out of a computing device. Personal computers have various types of ports, including internal ports for connecting disk drives, monitors, and keyboards, as well as external ports for connecting modems, printers, mice, and other peripherals. potentially unwanted program (PUP) A software program that might be unwanted, despite the possibility that users consented to download it. It can alter the security or the privacy settings of the computer on which it is installed. PUPs can - but does not necessarily - include spyware, adware, and dialers, and might be downloaded with a program that the user wants. PPPoE Point-to-Point Protocol Over Ethernet. A method of using the Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) dial-up protocol with Ethernet as the transport. protocol A set of rules enabling computers or devices to exchange data. In a layered network architecture (Open Systems Interconnection model), each layer has its own protocols that specify how communication takes place at that level. Your computer or device must support the correct protocol to communicate with other computers. See also Open Systems Interconnection (OSI). proxy A computer (or the software that runs on it) that acts as a barrier between a network and the Internet by presenting only a single network address to external sites. By representing all internal computers, the proxy protects network identities while still providing access to the Internet. See also proxy server (page 245).