Browse the Glossary - W (original) (raw)

• W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) - The W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) is an international organization that creates standards for the World Wide Web.
• wake word - A wake word is a phrase spoken to the Amazon Echo hands-free speaker and virtual assistant that causes the device to "wake up" and process a user's request.
• wall time - Wall time, also called real-world time, clock time, wall-clock time or -- more accurately -- elapsed real time, is the amount of time that a program or process takes to run from start to finish as measured by a person.
• walled garden - On the internet, a walled garden is an environment that controls the user's access to network-based content and services.
• WAN (wide area network) - A wide area network (WAN) is a geographically distributed private telecommunications network that interconnects multiple local area networks (LANs).
• WAN optimization (WAN acceleration) - WAN optimization -- also known as WAN acceleration -- is a collection of technologies and techniques used to improve the efficiency of data transfer across a wide area network (WAN) between organizations' centralized data centers and their remote locations.
• WannaCry ransomware - WannaCry ransomware is a cyber attack that spreads by exploiting vulnerabilities in the Windows operating system.
• war driving (access point mapping) - War driving, also called access point mapping, is the act of locating and possibly exploiting connections to wireless local area networks (WLANs) while driving around a city or elsewhere.
• Warehouse control system (WCS) - Warehouse control system (WCS) is a software application for orchestrating activity flow within a warehouses and distribution center.
• warehouse management system (WMS) - A warehouse management system (WMS) consists of software and processes that allow organizations to control and administer warehouse operations from the time goods or materials enter a warehouse until they move out.
• warm site - A warm site is a type of facility an organization uses to recover its technology infrastructure when its primary data center goes down.
• Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive - The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive is a legislative act that the European Union adopted to address the growing amounts of e-waste that come from electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) at the end of its life.
• water cooling - Water cooling, also called liquid cooling, is a method used to lower the temperature of computer processor units (CPUs), and sometimes graphics processor units (GPUs).
• waterfall model - The waterfall model is a linear, sequential approach to the software development lifecycle (SDLC) that is popular in software engineering and product development.
• watering hole attack - A watering hole attack is a security exploit in which the attacker seeks to compromise a specific group of end users by infecting websites that members of the group are known to visit.
• watt - A watt (symbolized W) is the standard unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI).
• watt-hour (Wh) - The watt-hour, which is symbolized Wh, is a unit of energy equivalent to one watt of power expended for one hour of time.
• wave number - A wave number, or wavenumber, refers to the spatial frequency of a wave over a specific unit distance.
• Wayback Machine - The Internet Archive's Wayback Machine is a digital archive of information on the internet.
• wbadmin - Wbadmin is an elevated command prompt that allows administrators or backup operators to backup and restore an operating system (OS), volume, file, folder or application.
• weak tie theory - Weak tie theory is the proposition that acquaintances are likely to be more influential than close friends, particularly in social networks.
• wearable computer - A wearable computer is any small technological device capable of storing and processing data that can be worn on the body.
• wearable technology - Wearable technology is any kind of electronic device designed to be worn on the user's body.
• Web 2.0 - Web 2.0 are websites and applications that make use of user-generated content for end users.
• web analytics - Web analytics is the process of analyzing the behavior of visitors to a website by tracking, reviewing and reporting the data generated by their use of the site and its components, such as its webpages, images and videos.
• web application (web app) - A web application (web app) is an application program that is stored on a remote server and delivered over the internet through a browser interface.
• web application development - Web application development is the creation of application programs that reside on remote servers and are delivered to the user's device over the internet.
• Web application firewall (WAF) - A web application firewall (WAF) is a firewall that monitors, filters and blocks Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) traffic as it travels to and from a website or web application.
• Web bug (Web beacon) - A Web bug, also known as a Web beacon, is a file object (usually a graphic image such as a transparent GIF) that is placed on a Web page or in an e-mail message to monitor user behavior.
• web content management system (WCMS) - A web content management system (WCMS) is a type of content management system (CMS) that provides an organization with a way to manage digital information on a website through creating and maintaining content without prior knowledge of web programming or markup languages.
• web crawler - A web crawler, crawler or web spider, is a computer program that's used to search and automatically index website content and other information over the internet.
• web development framework (WDF) - A web development framework is a set of resources and tools for software developers to build and manage web applications, web services and websites, as well as to develop application programming interfaces (APIs).
• web server - A web server is software and hardware that uses HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) and other protocols to respond to client requests made over the World Wide Web.
• web services - Web services are a type of internet software that use standardized messaging protocols and are made available from an application service provider's web server for a client or other web-based programs to use.
• web stack - A web stack is the collection of software used for web development that incorporates, at a minimum, an operating system (OS), a programming language, database software and a web server.
• Web texting - Web texting is two-way text messaging from the Web to a handheld mobile device, usually a cellular phone.
• WebAssembly - WebAssembly (Wasm) is a binary instruction format for compiling and executing code in a client-side web browser.
• WebAuthn API - The Web Authentication API (WebAuthn API) is a credential management application program interface (API) that lets web applications authenticate users without storing their passwords on servers.
• WebGL - WebGL is a graphics application programming interface (API) created for use in web applications.
• webhook - A webhook is a software architecture approach that allows applications and services to submit a web-based notification to other applications whenever a specific event occurs.
• weblog - A blog, short for weblog, is a frequently updated web page used for personal commentary or business content.
• WebLogic - Oracle WebLogic Server is a leading e-commerce online transaction processing (OLTP) platform, developed to connect users in distributed computing production environments and to facilitate the integration of mainframe applications with distributed corporate data and applications.
• webmaster - A webmaster is someone who creates and manages the content and organization of a website, manages the computer server and technical programming aspects of a website, or does both.
• webOS - WebOS is an LG-owned, Linux-based operating system for smart devices, particularly smart TVs.
• WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communications) - WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communications) is an open source project that enables real-time voice, text and video communications capabilities between web browsers and devices.
• WebSocket - WebSocket is a communications protocol that enables two endpoints -- typically a client and a server -- to establish a persistent, bidirectional, full duplex TCP connection between them.
• well-known port numbers - The well-known port numbers are the port numbers that are reserved for assignment by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) for use by the application end points that communicate using the Internet's Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) or the User Datagram Protocol (UDP).
• Western Digital Corporation (WDC) - Western Digital Corporation (often referred to as WDC, Western Digital) is a data storage device manufacturer founded in 1970 and headquartered in San Jose, Calif.
• wetware - Wetware refers to programmers, developers, systems administrators, cloud and IT architects and other employees that directly affect how servers, applications, networks and the rest of an IT system functions.
• whaling attack (whaling phishing) - A whaling attack, also known as whaling phishing or a whaling phishing attack, is a specific type of phishing attack that targets high-profile employees, such as the CEO or CFO, in order to steal sensitive information from a company.
• What is wavelength? - Wavelength is the distance between identical points, or adjacent crests, in the adjacent cycles of a waveform signal propagated in space or along a wire.
• What is wear leveling? - Wear leveling is a process that is designed to extend the life of solid-state storage devices.
• What is Web 3.0 (Web3)? Definition, guide and history - Web 3.0 promises a more personalized and intelligent web that uses blockchain decentralization to give control back to users.
• What is wireless communications? Everything you need to know - Wireless communications is the transmission of voice and data without cable or wires.
• WhatsApp - WhatsApp is a free cross-platform messaging service.
• Whistleblower Protection Act - The Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989 is a law that protects federal government employees in the United States from retaliatory action for voluntarily disclosing information about dishonest or illegal activities occurring in a government organization.
• white box server - A white box server is a data center computer that is not manufactured by a well-known name-brand vendor.
• white box testing - White box testing is a software testing methodology in which the code structure is known and understood by the tester.
• white hat hacker - A white hat hacker -- or ethical hacker -- is an individual who uses hacking skills to identify security vulnerabilities in hardware, software or networks.
• white hat link building - White hat link building is a search engine optimization (SEO) technique for increasing the number of high-quality backlinks to a webpage.
• white paper - A white paper is an authoritative, research-based document that presents information, expert analysis and an organization or author's insight into a topic or solution to a problem.
• whitelist (allowlist) - A whitelist (allowlist) is a cybersecurity strategy that approves a list of email addresses, IP addresses, domain names or applications, while denying all others.
• whole-team approach (team-based approach) - The whole-team approach (team-based approach) is a style of project management in which everyone on the project team is held equally responsible for the quality and success of the project.
• Wi-Fi (802.11x standard) - Wi-Fi is a term for certain types of wireless local area networks (WLAN) that use specifications in the IEEE 802.
• Wi-Fi 6 - Wi-Fi 6, also known as 802.
• Wi-Fi 6E - Wi-Fi 6E is one variant of the 802.
• Wi-Fi 7 - Wi-Fi 7 is the pending 802.
• Wi-Fi calling - Wi-Fi calling is a voice service that lets users place and receive calls over a wireless internet connection, as opposed to using a cellular signal.
• Wi-Fi Pineapple - A Wi-Fi Pineapple is a wireless auditing platform from Hak5 that allows network security administrators to conduct penetration tests.
• Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) - Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) is a security standard for computing devices equipped with wireless internet connections.
• Wi-Fi range extender (range expander) - A Wi-Fi range extender is a network device used to increase the effective range of a wireless network.
• widget - In computing, a widget is an element of a graphical user interface that displays information or provides a specific way for a user to interact with the operating system (OS) or an application.
• Wiegand - Wiegand is the trade name for a technology used in card readers and sensors, particularly for access control applications.
• Wien's constant - Wien's constant is a physical constant that is used in defining the relationship between the thermodynamic temperature of a black body (an object that radiates electromagnetic energy perfectly) and the wavelength at which the intensity of the radiation is the greatest.
• wiki - A wiki is a web-based collaborative platform that enables users to store, create and modify content in an organized manner.
• Wikipedia - Wikipedia is a free, open content online encyclopedia created through the collaborative effort of a community of users known as Wikipedians.
• wildcard certificate - A wildcard certificate is a digital certificate that is applied to a domain and all its subdomains.
• wildcard character - A wildcard character is a special character that represents one or more other characters.
• window - A window is a separate viewing area on a computer display screen in a system that allows multiple viewing areas as part of a graphical user interface (GUI).
• Windows - Windows is Microsoft's flagship operating system (OS), the de facto standard for home and business computers.
• Windows 10 (Microsoft Windows 10) - Windows 10 is a Microsoft operating system for personal computers, tablets, embedded devices and internet of things devices.
• Windows 10 Update Assistant - Windows 10 Update Assistant is a native update management tool designed to help individual users keep up with OS updates as Microsoft publishes them.
• Windows 2000 - Windows 2000 is an operating system developed by Microsoft.
• Windows 7 - Windows 7 is the Microsoft Windows operating system (OS) released commercially in October 2009 as the successor to Windows Vista.
• Windows as a service - Windows as a service is the approach Microsoft introduced with Windows 10 to deploy, update and service the operating system.
• Windows Autopilot - Windows Autopilot is a desktop provisioning tool native to Windows 10 that allows IT professionals to automate image deployment of new desktops with preset configurations.
• Windows CE - Windows CE is a version of Microsoft's Windows operating system (OS) that is designed for mobile and other space-constrained devices with small footprints.
• Windows Defender Application Guard - Windows Defender Application Guard is a security tool built into Microsoft Edge that isolates browser sessions from the desktop in a virtual machine (VM) to prevent any malicious activity from reaching the desktop.
• Windows Defender Exploit Guard - Microsoft Windows Defender Exploit Guard is antimalware software that provides intrusion protection for Windows 10 OS users.
• Windows Embedded - Windows Embedded is Microsoft’s embedded operating systems product group.
• Windows event log - The Windows event log is a detailed record of system, security and application notifications stored by the Windows operating system that is used by administrators to diagnose system problems and predict future issues.
• Windows file share witness (FSW) - A Windows file share witness is a file share that is available to all nodes in a high-availability cluster.
• Windows Imaging Format (WIM) - Windows Imaging Format (WIM) is used for the creation and distribution of disk image files.
• Windows key (winkey) - The Windows key (winkey) is a button on a Windows computer keyboard.
• Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) - Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) is a set of specifications from Microsoft for consolidating the management of devices and applications in a network from Windows computing systems.
• Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC) utility - The Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC) utility is a command-line interface for working with Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI), a framework for managing data and operations on a Windows computer.
• Windows NT - Windows NT was a family of operating systems (OS) developed by Microsoft for personal computers and servers.
• Windows Process Activation Service (WPAS) - Windows Process Activation Service (WAS) is a tool for managing worker processes that contain applications that host Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) services.
• Windows reboot loop - A reboot loop (or boot loop) occurs when a Windows device unexpectedly restarts at some point during its startup process.
• Windows Registry Editor (regedit) - The Windows Registry Editor (regedit) is a graphical tool in the Microsoft Windows operating system (OS) that enables authorized users to view the Windows registry and make changes.