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Central processing unit (CPU)
The component that carries out a computer's instructions, performing its calculations and controlling the other parts; often called the computer's brain.
Hardware
The physical parts of a computer that you can touch, such as the processor, memory, storage, and screen.
Malware
Malicious software written to damage, disrupt, or gain unauthorised access to a computer or its data.
Operating system
The core software that manages a computer's hardware and resources and lets other programs and the user interact with it.
Random-access memory (RAM)
Fast, temporary memory that holds the data and instructions a computer is using right now; its contents are lost when the power goes off.
Software
The programs and instructions that tell a computer's hardware what to do.
User interface
The point at which a person and a computer meet, through which the user gives commands and receives results.