Glossary Listing: applet - wildcard character

applet: An application program, written in the Java programming language, that can be retrieved from a Web server and executed by a Web browser. A reference to an applet appears in the markup for a Web page, in the same way that a reference to a graphics file appears; a browser retrieves an applet in the same way that it retrieves a graphics file. For security reasons, an applet's access rights are limited in two ways: the applet cannot access the file system of the client upon which it is executing, and the applet's communication across the network is limited to the server from which it was downloaded. Contrast with servlet. See also: demilitarized zone, pattern-matching character, wildcard character.

demilitarized zone (DMZ): In network security, a network that is isolated from, and serves as a neutral zone between, a trusted network (for example, a private intranet) and an untrusted network (for example, the Internet). One or more secure gateways usually control access to the DMZ from the trusted or the untrusted network.

DMZ: See demilitarized zone.

pattern-matching character: A special character such as an asterisk (*) or a question mark (?) that can be used to represent one or more characters. Any character or set of characters can replace a pattern-matching character.

servlet: An application program, written in the Java programming language, that is executed on a Web server. A reference to a servlet appears in the markup for a Web page, in the same way that a reference to a graphics file appears. The Web server executes the servlet and sends the results of the execution (if there are any) to the Web browser. Contrast with applet.

wildcard character: See pattern-matching character.