Information Technology Flashcards
batch processing
the accumulation of info about similar events or transactions so that they can be entered into the accounting system at one time, increasing the efficiency of processing transactions but delaying the availability of info
online transaction processing (OLTP)
the entering of events and transactions into the accounting system IMMEDIATELY as the events or transactions occur, rather than accumulating info for batch processing, increasing the speed with which info is available while increasing the cost of processing the info
OLTP
online transaction processing
network configurations
local area network
value added network
wide area network
electronic commerce (e-commerce)
the conduct of business generally involving the buying and selling of products, including billing and payment, using electronic communication (electronic data interchange - EDI) between the computers of different entities such as suppliers and customers
encryption
a security procedure involving the encoding of data to make it readable only to intended users
decryption
the process of making encrypted data readable to the intended user
firewall
a hardware device or software that is designed to prevent access to a network without explicit permission from the network admin
virus
a program referred to as malware that can reproduce itself and insert copies of itself into other programs, data files or the hard drive, resulting in the affected areas being affected
trojan horse
a seemingly harmless computer program with purposefully hidden malicious or damaging code within
worm
a program that duplicates itself over a network to infect other computers with viruses and are different from viruses in that they can operate independently
hoax virus
a message about a virus that does not actually exist, usually accompanied with instructions to forward the email message to others
phishing
sending emails that appear to be from financial institutions or trustworthy entities in an attempt to get personal info for identity theft
hot site
a work area that essentially duplicates an operating computer installation, including backup data, established to begin operations immediately in the event of a disaster
cold site
a work area that requires setup of hardware and software before it can begin operations in the event of a disaster
hash total
a total that is inherently meaningless, such as the total of all invoice #s, used as a check figure to determine if all data has been entered
bit
the most basic form of info consisting of a single amount or a computer switch that can have only one of 2 values, such as 0 versus 1 or on versus off
controlled reprocessing
client data being run on the client’s program using the auditor’s computer to determine if the same results are derived
parallel simulation
client data being run on an auditor’s program to determine if the same results are derived as when it is run on the client’s program
test data (integrated test facility)
simulated data, which includes at least one example of each type of potential error, run on the client’s program to determine if it properly handles erroneous input
“auditing around the computer”
a means of testing whether a computer system is functioning properly by examining the data input and the printed output to see if the output reflects appropriate results
parity check
in the storage of bytes, one bit will be a “dummy” bit that doesn’t rep any actual info, but is turned on automatically when necessary so that the total # of bits in the on position is an odd # (in an odd-parity computer). when the comp is reading byes of data from a chip or disk drive, a byte with an even # of bits turned on will be known to be functioning properly
echo check
involves the data sent from one comp to another being transmitted back to the original one, which will verify that it has received what it sent. if the echoed data doesn’t agree with the transmission, the packet of data is resent
field check
application control that validates data as to the correct length and format
validity check
application control that compares data with a list of acceptable entries to be sure it matches one of them
limit test
application control that compares #s to limits that have been set for acceptability
check digits
s with no obvious meaning, such as ID #s, often designed so that one of the digits is determined by a formula applied to the rest of the #. The comp applies the formula when a # is entered to determine if it is an acceptable one. the check digit can either be a # or letter and can be placed in any consistent position in the overall identification
extensible business reporting language (XBRL)
XBRL is a specification for publishing financial info in the XML format. It is designed to provide a standard set of XML tags for exchanging accounting info and financial statements between companies and analysts. Instead of treating financial info as a block of text (e.g., standard internet page or Word doc), it provides a computer-readable identifying tag for each individual item of data
Wide Area Network
A computer network connecting different remote locations that may range from short distances, such as a floor or building, to extremely long transmissions that encompass a large region or several countries
EDI
electronic data interchange
