Glossary

ARCHIVED 2023-09-19, DATE APPROXIMATE · VERSION 20230919_rev01 · COMPARED WITH 20230802_rev01

Full text changes — 20230802_rev01 to 20230919_rev01

COLOUR MARKS THE SEVERITY OF A FLAGGED CLAUSE · + AND − MARK ADDED AND REMOVED

 ## C
 [Cache](https://brave.com/glossary/cache/)
 Cache (also known as "browser cache" or "Web cache") is a temporary storage area on your device that holds copies of frequently accessed webpages, images, and other online content. Allowing your browser to store some data about previously visited websites prevents the need for future requests, and helps those sites / pages load faster the next time you visit.
+[CCPA](https://brave.com/glossary/ccpa/)
+The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) is a privacy law enacted in California in 2020, amended and strengthened in 2023 by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). The CCPA/CPRA provides residents of California with specific rights regarding the collection and use of their personal data-to know what data is collected; to have data deleted; and to opt out of, or opt into, the sale of their data. CCPA requires businesses to accommodate these consumer rights and applies civil fines if not complied with.
 [Certificate](https://brave.com/glossary/certificate/)
 A certificate is a digital document that a website or other Internet service uses to prove its identity to users. If you see a lock icon in your Web browser's address bar, that means the website you're viewing has presented a valid certificate. And this generally means that anyone who might be spying on your Internet connection (like someone else on your Wi-Fi network) wouldn't be able to see or modify the content you're seeing on that website.
 [Client](https://brave.com/glossary/client/)
 A client is the hardware or software that accesses a service on a server. The term "client" may refer to a person using the service, or a piece of software (like a Web browser) or hardware (like a phone or computer) the person is using to access the service. A server is a piece of software or hardware whose purpose is to offer a service over a computer network, such as the Internet.
 [Cookie](https://brave.com/glossary/cookie/)
 A cookie is a small piece of data that a website (the server) places on your device (the client). The exact meaning of cookie contents is specific to each website. In some cases these are benign, and required for the site or app to function (e.g. to know you put an item in a shopping cart). In other cases, cookies can be used to track your browsing activity, search history, and to follow you across the Web. Note that the term "cookie" is used in two different ways: to describe a specific way of setting values on browsers; and as a general term for all ways sites can store values on clients.
+[Cyberbullying](https://brave.com/glossary/cyberbullying/)
+Cyberbullying is harassment that occurs online, typically through social media, email, or messaging. The harm to the victim is intentional and usually repeated, and can be perpetrated by an individual or a group. Cyberbullying can be more harmful than in-person bullying because it can happen anywhere at any time-it doesn't rely on in-person interactions. Cyberbullying can also overlap with in-person bullying.
 [Cybersecurity](https://brave.com/glossary/cybersecurity/)
 Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting computing devices and networks from external threats. For purposes of this article, "cybersecurity" refers to practices that IT and security professionals use to protect the systems they're in charge of, or whole groups of employees. The related term "security" is more general, and can also refer to practices an individual might take to stay safe online or a business might use to secure the buildings they use.
 ## D
+[Dark Web](https://brave.com/glossary/dark-web/)
+The Dark Web is the portion of the Internet that can only be accessed through specific software. Most casual surfing of the Web takes place on a small piece (5-10%) of the total World Wide Web; this is sometimes called the Surface Web. The other 90-95%-the Deep Web-is basically all the content not indexed by search engines. The Dark Web, by turn, is a fractional part of the larger Deep Web, and requires special browsers to view and navigate.
+[Database](https://brave.com/glossary/database/)
+A database is an organized collection of data, stored and accessed electronically, usually via a computer system. A database can be small or large, simple or complex depending on the situation. It can contain any type of information, and is a critical component of many computer systems.
+[Deep Web](https://brave.com/glossary/deep-web/)
+The Deep Web is the portion of the Internet not indexed by traditional search engines. It often requires a login (such as a username and password) or special software to access. The part of the Web that's accessible using search engines-sometimes called the Surface Web-is actually just a small piece of the overall World Wide Web. The much larger, less visible, piece is called the Deep Web. Some estimates suggest that 90-95% of the overall World Wide Web is actually the Deep Web.
 [DNS](https://brave.com/glossary/dns/)
 The Domain Name System (DNS) is an Internet protocol that enables a browser and operating system to look up the IP addresses that correspond to domain names. IP addresses and domain names are each a type of identifier for devices on the Internet. IP addresses are numerical (like 203.0.113.43), while domain names are human-readable (like "brave.com").
 ## E
 ## I
 [IP address](https://brave.com/glossary/ip-address/)
 An Internet Protocol (IP) address is a numerical label (like 203.0.113.43) that identifies a device on a network, and allows computers to talk to each other. Any device on any network will need an IP address so it can receive data from other devices; the IP address is how the network gets data to the right place. Some IP addresses are public, while others are private. Sometimes, your IP address can be used to identify and track you across sites and apps.
+[IPFS](https://brave.com/glossary/ipfs/)
+IPFS stands for Interplanetary File System, a decentralized peer-to-peer file sharing system. Different from the common Internet scheme (HTTP/HTTPS), IPFS is an Internet protocol (or system) that allows people to access content without the need for a centralized server. IPFS provides a similar Web experience as HTTP/HTTPS, but with faster response time and improved reliability. It also shifts power and control of the Internet out of the hands of big tech companies.
 [ISP](https://brave.com/glossary/isp/)
 An Internet service provider (ISP) can provide home or work access to the Web, along with things like domain name registration and Web hosting. For many home Internet users, being online means all data must go through some sort of ISP (and this ISP can see all your traffic and online activity unless you take steps to prevent it). Some examples of ISPs include Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon.
 ## K
 ## M
 [Malware](https://brave.com/glossary/malware/)
 Malware is any software that has a malicious purpose. Common uses of malware are to steal private information, steal or extort money, disrupt infrastructure, or to simply cause chaos. Examples of malware include viruses, Trojans, ransomware, and Spyware. When browsing the Web, it's important to take adequate steps to protect yourself from malware.
+[Metadata](https://brave.com/glossary/metadata/)
+Essentially, metadata is data about data; it's often (though not always) machine-readable information that determines the structure or organization of human-readable information or content. Metadata can appear on websites, databases, or elsewhere.
 ## O
 [Open source](https://brave.com/glossary/open-source/)
 Open-source software is software whose source code-the instructions that define what the software does-is published and freely available. The opposite of open source is closed source. Source code is human-readable, and software developers create software by writing it. To run software on a device, though, the source code has to be transformed into a form that's mostly unreadable to humans. That unreadable form is what you get when you download an app. Open-source software is often developed in a collaborative manner, and considered a public good, free for anybody to use. The Brave Browser, Linux operating system, and OpenOffice are examples of open-source software.
 ## S
 [Safe Browsing](https://brave.com/glossary/safe-browsing/)
 Safe Browsing is a service, run by Google, that catalogs fraudulent or malicious websites. It's integrated into several major browsers-including Brave, Chrome, Safari, and Firefox-so that they can warn you if you're about to visit such a site. Edge uses a similar (though slightly different) service that's run by Microsoft.
+[Script](https://brave.com/glossary/script/)
+A script is a sequence of instructions that can be executed by a computer or programming language. A script is a common type of computer program, its defining characteristic being that it does not have to be compiled in advance of being run. It's interpreted and executed in real time.
 [Search engine](https://brave.com/glossary/search-engine/)
 A search engine is a service, accessible over the Web, that finds information on the Web in response to your queries. The most widely used search engine, by far, is Google Search, usually just called "Google." Google Search is so ubiquitous that "to google" has become a verb meaning "to search the Internet." Some large sites, like YouTube, have search functionality that only finds items on that site (videos and channels, in YouTube's case). That's sometimes called a search engine too.
 [Security](https://brave.com/glossary/security/)
 Computer security is the protection of computing devices, networks, and data from external threats.
 [Server](https://brave.com/glossary/server/)
 A server is a piece of software or hardware whose purpose is to offer a service over a computer network, such as the Internet. Servers can be physical machines, virtual machines, or software that performs server-like functions. The consumers of the service are called clients. The term "client" may refer to a person using the service, or a piece of software (like a Web browser) or hardware (like a phone or computer) the person is using to access the service.
+[Social engineering](https://brave.com/glossary/social-engineering/)
+Social engineering describes a variety of tactics used by malicious actors to trick an individual into doing something they wouldn't normally do, especially (but not exclusively) online. Phishing is one common type of online social engineering; others include scareware, pretexting, and pharming. The success of a social engineering attack often relies on manipulating an individual person, rather than attacking a whole system, or a company's software or hardware.
 [Spam](https://brave.com/glossary/spam/)
 Spam is unwanted, unsolicited communications such as emails, text messages (SMS), or calls, sent in bulk to many recipients at once.
 [Storage](https://brave.com/glossary/storage/)