1. <programming> A scheme used in event-driven programs where the program registers a subroutine (a "callback handler") to handle a certain event. The program does not call the handler directly but when the event occurs, the run-time system calls the handler, usually passing it arguments to describe the event. 2. <communications, security> A user authentication scheme used by some computers running dial-up services. The user dials in to the computer and gives his user name and password. The computer then hangs up the connection and uses an auto-dial modem to call back to the user's registered telephone number. Thus, if an unauthorised person discovers a user's password, the callback will go, not to him, but to the owner of that login who will then know that his account is under attack. However, some PABXs can be fooled into thinking that the caller has hung up by sending them a dial tone. When the computer tries to call out on the same line it is not actually dialing through to the authorised user but is still connected to the original caller. 3. <communications> cost control callback. (2003-07-13)

In computer programming, a callback or callback function is any reference to executable code that is passed as an argument to another piece of code; that code is expected to call back (execute) the callback function as part of its job. This execution may be immediate as in a synchronous callback, or it might happen at a later point in time as in an asynchronous callback.

In telecommunication, an automatic callback is a computer telephony calling feature that permits a user, when encountering a busy condition or other condition where the called individual is unavailable, to instruct the system to retain the called number and to establish the call when there is an available line or when the called number is no longer busy. Automatic callback may be implemented in the terminal, in the telephone exchange, or shared between them.

Callback verification, also known as callout verification or Sender Address Verification, is a technique used by SMTP software in order to validate e-mail addresses. The most common target of verification is the sender address from the message envelope (the address specified during the SMTP dialogue as "MAIL FROM").

In telecommunications, a callback or call-back occurs when the originator of a call is immediately called back in a second call as a response.

<communications> A system where a computer automatically rejects incoming dial-up calls from certain telephone numbers and calls them back, with the result that the caller pays nothing for the connection. This differs from security callback in that it applies to certain phone numbers instead of to certain user names. (2003-07-13)