Terminology Summary: Clarified definitions, terms, and explanations of various concepts, subjects, or ideas.
Staying informed on cybersecurity measures is crucial for safeguarding digital privacy and infrastructure. To aid in this endeavor, we have compiled a comprehensive cybersecurity glossary containing terms from A to Z.
Key Cybersecurity Terms: A-Z
Administrative Privilege
Permission granted to users to make changes to the operating system or software, typically requiring a password for authentication.
Advanced Persistent Threat (APT)
Also known as stealthy cyber attacks, APT involves unauthorized parties accessing a system over an extended period, typically for espionage or data theft.
Adware
Unwanted software that displays advertisements and often slows down devices while installing viruses.
Attack Vector
The method hackers use to gain unauthorized access to a system or network, exploiting vulnerabilities along the way.
Authentication
The process of confirming a user's identity before granting access to a device or network.
Availability
A security goal ensuring users can access information efficiently, without interruption or delay.
Backdoor
A secret method bypassing standard user authentication, allowing unauthorized access to programs, networks, or devices without permission.
Backup
A copy of a system's files and programs, used for data recovery in the event of cyberattacks or accidental deletion.
Black Hat Hacking
A malicious hacking technique used to steal data or spread viruses.
Bot
A computer program designed to carry out repetitive tasks without human intervention.
Botnet
A group of compromised devices controlled remotely by cybercriminals, often used for Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks.
Breach
An unauthorized intrusion into a network, data, devices, or applications.
Brute Force Attack
Attempting to guess login credentials repeatedly to gain unauthorized access to a platform.
Bug
An error or flaw in software or a system, causing unexpected results or crashes.
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
An IT policy allowing employees to use their personal devices to access the company's network.
Captcha
A test to confirm users are not bots, typically involving solving puzzles or recognizing images.
Ciphertext
Encrypted data that requires decryption to be readable.
Clickjacking
A technique used by hackers to trick users into redirecting to fraudulent websites after clicking a link.
Closed Source
Proprietary software with hidden code accessible only to developers, not the general public.
Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASBs)
Cloud-based software solutions that monitor and enforce security, compliance, and governance policies between users and cloud service providers.
Cloud Computing
A technology that delivers internet services such as data storage, servers, databases, networking, and software.
Cloud Security
Strategies, methods, technologies, and policies to protect data and cloud applications from cyber threats.
Confidentiality
Ensuring that sensitive information is shared only with authorized users, restricting access, and preventing data disclosure.
Content Spoofing
A cyberattack technique causing users to visit fake websites as if they were legitimate. Unlike phishing attacks, content spoofing does not seek user data but delivers malicious software.
Cookies
Data saved by web servers during web sessions regarding user IP addresses, passwords, browsing history, etc. They can help maintain user sessions but may track sensitive information and be exploited by hackers.
Cyber Security
A set of policies, strategies, and techniques used to protect computers, networks, data, applications, and infrastructures from unauthorized access, theft, damage, or disclosure.
Data Breach
An incident resulting in unauthorized access to sensitive or confidential information, typically moving it to unauthorized external parties.
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attacks
Attacks flooding a computer system or network with multiple devices, causing service disruptions.
Denial of Service (DoS)
An attack aiming to disrupt the availability of a computer system or network, making it inaccessible for authorized users, often requiring financial investment to recover.
Deepfake
Manipulated media content (image, audio, video) designed to appear genuine. It can be used to impersonate individuals for fraudulent purposes.
Email Archiving
The process of preserving email communications for data recovery purposes.
Email Spoofing
An email attack designed to trick users into believing a message comes from a trusted or known source, seeking to deliver malicious codes.
Email Virus
Malware delivered to users via email attachments, aiming to infect computers and attack systems.
Encrypted Cloud Backup
A cloud storage system requiring an encryption key for access.
Encryption
The process of converting plaintext into ciphertext, ensuring sensitive data is secure from potential theft.
Ethical Hacking
A legal activity performed to expose vulnerabilities, weaknesses, and potential security risks within systems.
Exploit
A cyberattack technique that exploits a system's vulnerability.
Firewall
A security system that monitors and filters incoming and outgoing network traffic, acting as the first line of defense against attacks.
Firmware
Code embedded into computer hardware to prevent unauthorized access, data modification, or corruption.
Form Grabber
Malware that collects sensitive user data, such as names, passwords, and financial information, from within web forms.
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
The European Union's legal framework guiding the handling, storage, and use of personal data.
Hacker
Unauthorized users who breach computer or network security to steal data or spread viruses.
Hardware
Physical components of a computer, such as its monitor, keyboard, screen, and CPU.
Hash
Data produced using an algorithm, acting as a unique identifier to verify data integrity and prevent tampering.
Identity Check
Confirming the identity of a user to prevent unauthorized access and activities.
Identity Theft
Stealing another's personal information to impersonate them and carry out fraudulent activities or financial transactions.
Incident Response
Procedures organizations follow to handle and address cyberattacks, unauthorized actions, or security incidents.
Information Technology (IT)
The use of interconnected devices to process, communicate, and exchange data or information.
Insider Threat
A security risk originating from individuals within an organization with access to sensitive data or systems due to negligence or malicious intent.
IP Address
A set of numerical values that reveals information about a computer network user's physical location.
JavaScript
A programming language used to design, secure, and improve the functionality of websites.
Keylogger
Malware that tracks each keystroke on a keyboard, often used to capture passwords or sensitive information.
Local Area Network (LAN)
A group of interconnected devices communicating within a defined geographical area, such as a home, office, or shared workspace.
Malware
Malicious software designed to cause harm, gain unauthorized access, or steal data.
Metadata
Data providing information about other data or files, such as their author, creation date, or modification history.
Mitigation Defense
Software designed to minimize damage caused by cyberattacks.
National Security Agency (NSA)
The United States cryptology organization responsible for safeguarding and monitoring foreign and domestic intelligence on a global scale.
Off-site Backup
A backup copy of data stored in a cloud system or external physical location for recovery purposes.
Open Source
Software with publicly accessible code, allowing users to view, modify, share, and use it.
Password Management
Techniques to secure passwords, such as encryption, for easy sharing between team members.
Patch Management
A strategy ensuring up-to-date software and devices, reducing the risk of low-level virus infestation.
Penetration Test
Testing performed on a computer system to identify vulnerabilities before attackers do.
Pharming
A technique tricking users into visiting fake websites without their knowledge, posing a risk of data theft or malware infestation.
Phishing
A social engineering attack using emails disguised as legitimate sources, aiming to trick users into divulging sensitive information or downloading malware.
Piggyback Programs
Programs allowing another user to tag along with an authorized user to gain access to restricted areas.
PII
Personal Identifiable Information (PII) consists of details such as names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, and Social Security Numbers.
Plugins
Customizable software add-ons for browsers designed to enhance functionality.
Polymorphic Virus
Malware that can adapt while replicating, making it difficult to detect and remove.
Privacy
Protection of a computer system or network against unauthorized access.
Private Data
Also known as PII, it includes personal details that can be used to identify an individual, such as their name, email address, phone number, etc.
Quality of Protection
The ability of a network to maintain operational service delivery during an attack.
Recaptcha
A CAPTCHA service from Google that verifies users are not bots, protecting websites from spam and fake traffic.
Rootkit
Malicious software that gives unauthorized remote access to a system or network without knowledge of the owner or user.
Sandboxing
A security strategy that runs unsafe codes in a contained environment, minimizing impacts on the overall system or network.
Script
Simple pieces of code written in plain text, often used to automate computer functions such as form filling or data extraction.
Secure Password Encryption
The process of encoding plaintext passwords into ciphertext for security purposes.
Session Hijacking
An attack where hackers gain unauthorized access to a user's session, pretending to be them to carry out actions on the web.
Social Engineering
Manipulating computer users to divulge sensitive information through deceit or psychological tactics.
Software
Programs, operating systems, and applications that run on computers to perform various functions.
Spam
Unsolicited and often unwanted emails sent in bulk, usually containing advertising content or links to malicious websites.
Spoofing
Impersonating a person, system, or network by forging data to gain trust or access.
Spyware
Malicious software that collects and sends sensitive data from a device or network to a third party.
SSL Certificate
A digital certificate verifying a website's authenticity and encrypting data transmitted between the server and the browser.
Trialware
Software that can be accessed for a limited trial period before requiring a purchase or subscription.
Trojan
Malware disguised as legitimate software, allowing hackers to gain unauthorized access or install additional malware.
Unauthorized Access
Gaining access to a computer, network, or system without permission.
URL Spoofing
Creating fake web links that appear legitimate, deceiving users into visiting potentially harmful websites.
Virtual Private Network (VPN)
A network that encrypts internet traffic, providing secure remote access and disguising users' online activity and location.
Virus
Malicious software that replicates itself and spreads, often causing damage to files or the system.
Vulnerability
A weakness or flaw within a computer system, application, or network that can be exploited by hackers.
Whale Phishing
A targeted phishing attack aimed at executives or high-profile individuals, with the goal of extracting sensitive information or persuading them to authorize financial transactions.
White Hat Hacking
Legal hacking conducted to identify and address system vulnerabilities before malicious hackers exploit them.
Worm
A type of malware that replicates itself, spreading across a network without requiring user interaction, often causing system instability or data loss.
XMT
Short for transmit, the process of sending data to another device or network.
Y2K
An abbreviation for the Year 2000 bug, referring to the anticipated widespread computer failures due to a programming issue affecting dates with two digits for the year (e.g., 99 for 1999).
Zero-day
A vulnerability unknown to the software developer, leaving the system at risk of being exploited by hackers.
Zero-day Exploit
An attack using a zero-day vulnerability before the application developer can patch it, leading to risks such as data theft or system damage.
Zero-day Vulnerability
A bug within a system or application that hackers can exploit before developers become aware of it.
Armed with this cybersecurity glossary, you'll be better equipped to navigate and understand emerging threats and protective measures in our increasingly digital world.
- Browsing through the glossary, one finds that it includes terms related to science and technology, such as administrative privilege, advanced persistent threat, and encryption.
- In the realm of cybersecurity, understanding key terms like cloud access security brokers (CASBs) and cloud computing can provide insights into how to protect data stored and distributed in the digital age.
