ProtectMyID

Smartphone Terms Defined

1G vs. 2G vs. 3G vs. 4G:  The G in these terms stands for generation.  Therefore 1G would be the first generation of application services.  This includes wide-area wireless voice telephone, mobile Internet access, video calls and mobile TV, all in a mobile environment.  Each generation expands its capabilities and 4G is currently the benchmark.

Applications (Apps):  computer software designed to help the user to perform singular or multiple related specific tasks.

Broadband:  A term used to describe high bandwidth, or bit rate transmission of data signals.

Bluetooth:  A feature which allows communication (or connection) between a mobile phone, or other electronic device, such as a computer or radio, and a hands free headset.

Botnets:  A network of private computers infected with malicious software and controlled as a group without the owners’ knowledge, e.g., to send spam.

Geolocation:  Geolocation is the identification of the real-world geographic location of an object, such as a cell phone or an Internet-connected computer terminal.  For example, a picture taken with a Smartphone may record the location within the picture file.  When the file is posted on a social network site, any viewer may be able to determine the location from the data saved on the picture file.  This could tell someone exactly where your home is located. 

Key Logging:  The use of a computer program to record every keystroke made by a computer or Smartphone user.  The “key-logger” will then send the information to an outside server.  This is often used in order to gain fraudulent access to passwords and other confidential information.

Malware:  A program especially created to wreak havoc on your phone.

MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service):  A standard way to send (picture) messages that include multimedia content to and from mobile phones.

Personal Information:  The types of information often stored on a Smartphone include, but are not limited to: bank user names and passwords (Banking applications); credit card information (online shopping); utility account information (bill tracking applications); email accounts; GPS information; and social media contacts.

SIM (Subscriber Identification Module):  A removable smart card that stores information such as user identity, location and phone number, contact lists and stored text messages.

SMS:  SMS stands for short message service. SMS is also often referred to as texting, sending text messages or text messaging. The service allows for short text messages to be sent from one cell phone to another cell phone or from the Web to another cell phone (About.com).

Smartphone:  A mobile phone offering advanced features, similar to the functions on a PC.

Spyware:  Software that self-installs on an electronic device, enabling information to be gathered covertly about a person’s Internet use, passwords, etc.

Touch Screen:  An electronic visual display that can detect the presence and location of a touch within the display area.

Trojan:  A Trojan horse, or Trojan, is malware that appears to perform a desirable function for the user prior to run or install but instead facilitates unauthorized access of the user’s computer system.

Virus:  A software program capable of reproducing itself and usually capable of causing great harm to files or other programs on the same computer; they often have methods of infecting other computers.

 Worms:  A computer worm is a self-replicating malware computer program.

Wi-Fi:  Wi-Fi simply refers to wireless communication between electronic devices.  These include personal computers, video game consoles, Smartphones, or digital audio players.   Wi-Fi connects to the Internet when within range of a wireless network (Wi-Fi hotspot).  Wi-Fi hotspots can be private (protected by a password) or public (available to all local users). 

Smartphone terms provided by the Identity Theft Resource Center

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