Access Data:

Authors of Forensic Tool Kit and Password Recovery Tool Kit. Generally accepted as a world leader in Computer Forensics Software and Password Cracking Software.

Active Data:

Active data is the data, (information), stored on the data source, which is visible to the computer.

A.C.P.O.:

Association of Chief Police Officers. This is the organisation that sets guidelines for many procedures for investigation crime. One such set of guidelines is that of Digital Evidence Procedures. It is generally accepted that ACPO’s guidelines are the accepted standards around the world.

Address:

This term has several meanings, including:
‘Internet’ Address – IP Address uniquely assigned to a computer connected to the internet.
‘Web’ Address – It is used to show a web page, (or website, or Uniform Resource Locator, (URL)).
‘e-Mail’ Address – Is the unique address for a user of e-Mail when sending or receiving electronic mail.

Allocated Space:

Space allocated by the computer for specific files. When a file is stored, the computer states that at a certain position on the hard drive or digital storage device, a certain file is allocated.

Allocated Space:
Application:

Programs, such as word processors, spreadsheets, databases, music players etc that most users use to achieve results on a computer.

Archive File(s):

A storage area that is generally a file containing other files that are compressed to save storage space. This is generally used to ensure that infrequently used files are kept in a safe area.

ASCII

(Acronym for American Standard Code for Information Interchange): ASCII text is accepted throughout the world as the international standard text format. It does not however, include special formatting features and therefore can be exchanged and read by most computer systems. Files that have a ".txt" extension are typical of ASCII files.

Backup:

To duplicate data for storage at ideally, another place. The reason for this is standard risk management. If a computer fails and data recovery is not possible, then the backup will be used to retrieve data. If a backup is not available, then it’s not possible to restore the data and otherwise get ‘up and running’ again.

Bandwidth:

The amount of data that can be transmitted in a fixed amount of time between two points, (such as a personal computer and a website). Bandwidth is usually expressed in Megabytes per second (Mb/s).

Binary:

A numerical system of two digits, 1 and 0. This is used by computers as they provide the most optimum way of sending data, using 1 and 0 or on and off.

BIOS:

Basic Input and Output System. A program stored on the motherboard that controls how a computer interacts with various components on the computer.

Bit:

A tiny measurement of data, (the smallest data unit). A bit is either the "1" or "0" of the binary code. Eight bits together form a byte.

Boot:

(v.) The initial start up routines for a computer or digital device. It is this routine that starts the operating system, (Windows or Apple etc).

Boot Disk:

Refers to a non-installed disk containing the files required to start the computer’s operating system.

Boot Disk:

Refers to a non-installed disk containing the files required to start the computer’s operating system.

Broadband:

A high bandwidth internet connection such as ADSL, Cable etc.

Buffer:

An area of memory used to speed up device access times. It is also used for the temporary storage of files waiting to be written to or read from a storage device.

Bulletin Board Service:

BBS is an electronic notice board for people to pass messages from one person to another or for general reading by others.

Burn:

Slang for writing data to a CD-ROM, DVD or other digital device. Software is used to do this such as Nero, DVD Platinum Copy, One-Click DVD Copy, DVD Fab etc)