Understanding cybersecurity is crucial for everyone—professionals, businesses, and employees alike. It all starts with mastering the basic cyber security terminology used in different contexts.
Table of Terms
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
Access Control: Access Control refers to limiting access of users to critical resources like data or accounts of an organization with tight security protocols and authentication procedures.
Anti-virus (anti-malware): Anti-virus can be anything that can counteract a virus on a computer. It can be a method, strategy, or piece of software to thwart a virus attack.
Antivirus software: Antivirus software refers to programs that are used to detect and eliminate malware infections, threats, and viruses in computer systems.
APT (Advanced Persistent Threat): An advanced persistent threat is a method used by professional or skilled hackers to specifically target an organization’s systems by using sophisticated techniques.
Asset: Asset in the context of cyber security terms and definitions can be any valuable data, hardware, software, or systems that require protection from cyber-attacks.
Authentication: Authentication is the process of granting access to a user’s account, computer, or data by way of verifying their login credentials, such as usernames, passwords, biometrics, or two-factor authentication.
Authorization: Authorization is the act of giving special permission for a user to access a particular resource, data, or system. based on their permissions.
B
Backing up: Backing up is the process of generating duplicate copies of data to prevent one from losing it for good in the event of corruption, loss, or theft.
BCP (Business Continuity Planning): BCP is a proactive strategy to ensure the continuity of business operations without interruption after a cyberattack.
Behavior Monitoring: Behavior monitoring is a popular term in the cyber security glossary, which means monitoring computer systems for suspicious activities.
Blacklist: A blacklist is a list of websites or email addresses that are known for malicious activities. It helps businesses alert users or employees to avoid engaging with them.
Block Cipher: Block Cipher is a method of encrypting data into unreadable chunks for secure transmission.
Blue Team: Blue Team is a term used to refer to the good guys who are entrusted with defending computer networks and systems against cyber-attacks. Know more….
Business Email Compromise (BEC): A BEC is a type of email scam where the attacker impersonates businesses to trick victims and make them transfer money.
Botnet: A botnet is a network of hijacked devices that are managed by a cybercriminal to carry out DDoS attacks and spread malware.
Bug: A bug is a basic term in cyber security that refers to an error in coding that can lead to unexpected behavior of the software.
BYOD (Bring Your Own Device): BYOD is a policy followed by some organizations to allow employees to bring their own personal computers to work.
C
Cyberguard : Cyberguard is one of the top cyber security companies in UAE. They help to resolve the cyber security issues in your system. Cyberguard mainly focuses on being a VAPT service provider but also provides other security services. Contact them if you have any security issues with your system.
Ciphertext: Ciphertext is a cybersecurity term used to refer to encrypted or scrambled data. A description key is needed if one wants to read them.
Clickjacking: Clickjacking is a malicious technique used by cybercriminals to trick victims into clicking links or buttons that often appear as something else.
Cloud Computing: Cloud computing is a solution that allows people to rent storage, computing power, or applications over the internet.
CND (Computer Network Defense): CND refers to the set of measures and strategies employed to safeguard a computer network or assets from cyberattacks.
CISO (Chief Information Security Officer): A CISO is a high-level executive in an organization with the responsibility of taking care of its cybersecurity.
Cracker: Cracker is a cyber security term used to describe a malicious hacker who illegitimately accesses a computer system by exploiting vulnerabilities present in it.
Continuous Monitoring: Continuous monitoring is the practice of carrying out ongoing observance of computer systems and networks to identify security incidents and proactively thwart them.
Cyber Hygiene: Cyber hygiene is a cybersecurity best practice that involves maintaining good cyber health by carrying out basic security procedures like updating systems regularly, installing patch fixes, etc.
Cyber Resiliency: Cyber resilience refers to an organization’s ability to recover from cyberattacks and continue normal operations as quickly as possible.
Cybersecurity Framework: A cybersecurity framework is a set of best practices and expert guidelines to effectively manage computer systems with minimal vulnerabilities or risks.
Cyber Threat Intelligence and Sharing: Cyber Threat Intelligence and Sharing is the practice of gathering information about every kind of cyber threat identified and sharing it with others to improve the overall defense against threats.
Critical Infrastructure: Critical infrastructure refers to a country’s essential infrastructure, such as communication networks, hospitals, power grids, and financial institutions.
CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures): CVE is a publicly available list that people or organizations can refer to to learn about the common vulnerabilities and exposures affecting computer systems, assets, and software.
Cryptography: Cryptography is a field of study in cybersecurity that deals with the different encryption and decryption methods used for secure communication or transmission of data.
Cyberattack: Cyberattack is a basic term in cyber security that refers to the act of gaining unauthorized access to a computer system or network to destroy or steal data or disrupt operations.
Cyber Ecosystem: The cyber ecosystem is the world of computers, networks, and users that are connected.
Cyberespionage: Cyberespionage involves stealing or gaining access to sensitive information or secrets through cyberattacks.
Cybersecurity: Cybersecurity refers to the set of practices, strategies, or protocols used in safeguarding data, systems, or networks from malicious attacks and unauthorized access. Read More…
Cyber Teams: Cyber Teams are groups of cybersecurity experts specializing in dealing with cyber threats, vulnerabilities, and incidents.
D
Dark Web: Dark Web is a term used to describe the part of the internet that remains hidden and requires special tools for access.
Data Breach: A data breach is the act of gaining unauthorized access to an organization’s or individual’s computer system and destroying, tweaking, or stealing sensitive data from it.
Dark Web Scan: Dark Web Scan is the search into the dark web using automated tools or manual methods to find out any exposed data.
Data Integrity: Data integrity means the strong security posture of data without being corrupted or altered.
DLP (Data Loss Prevention): Data Loss Prevention (DLP) is a strategy used by organizations to stop their critical data from being leaked or passed on to someone else.
Data Exfiltration: Data exfiltration is the concealed act of transferring compromised or stolen data from an organization’s computer system to a hacker’s system.
Data Mining: Data mining refers to figuring out data patterns and useful information from large datasets.
Data Theft: Data theft is the malicious act of stealing sensitive data stored in digital formats for malicious purposes.
DDoS Attack: DDoS stands for Distributed Denial of Service. It is a tactic used by cybercriminals to overwhelm a website or network with an unusual amount of traffic to interrupt the service being offered through it.
Decrypt: Decrypting is the reversion of encrypting. It converts the encrypted or scrambled data back to its original form.
Digital Certificate: A digital certificate refers to the verification method used to verify that a website or server is genuine. It helps users verify the identity of specific digital resources.
Digital Forensics: In the cyber security glossary, digital forensics means the science that deals with collecting evidence from digital devices.
DMZ (Demilitarized Zone): DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) is the isolated network or buffer zone in a local area network that does not interact with public-facing servers.
DOS Attack: DOS Attack stands for Denial-of-Service attack. It is a technique used by hackers to crash a website, system, or network by unleashing a huge number of requests.
Drive-by Download: Drive-by Download can be any malicious software that gets downloaded into one’s system without their knowledge while visiting a website.
E
Eavesdropping: Eavesdropping is the act of tapping into a private conversation or data transmission without the involved parties’ knowledge.
Encode: Encoding means converting data into a different format to store or transfer it safely.
Encryption Key: The encryption key is the secret code used in data encryption and decryption. It enables the user to scramble or unscramble the data.
Ethical Hacker: An ethical hacker is an authorized cybersecurity professional who finds vulnerabilities in systems with the permission of the owner, exploits them, and helps them remediate.
F
Firewall: A firewall is hardware, software, or a combination of both. It acts as a digital fence, monitoring and controlling incoming and outgoing traffic on a network.
H
Hacker: A hacker is someone who exploits the vulnerabilities within a computer system using sophisticated techniques or tools, often with malicious intent.
Hacktivism: Hacktivism refers to the act of using hacking to make a political statement, expose corruption, or remind authorities or governments whose systems are being hacked about a cause.
Honeypot: Honeypot is a computer system that appears to be legitimate or contains sensitive data. It is used to lure hackers and trap them.
I
IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service): IaaS is a platform of digitalized computing resources for managing infrastructure and is accessible over the Internet.
Identity Cloning: Identity Cloning refers to the act of generating fake online identities of victims with malicious intent.
Identity Fraud: Identity fraud is the malicious act of stealing the personal information of a person and using it to impersonate them for financial gain, to damage their reputation, or for similar sinister motives.
IDS (Intrusion Detection System): IDS is an advanced technology used in the cybersecurity environment to monitor network traffic and identify attempts at unauthorized access.
Information Security Policy: Information Security Policy provides guidelines for safeguarding an organization’s sensitive data and computer systems.
Insider Threat: Insider Threat refers to the type of security risks that are caused by an insider, often an unhappy employee, business partner, contractor, or hacker disguised as an employee.
IPS (Intrusion Prevention System): IPS is a cybersecurity protocol that is designed to prevent malicious traffic and intrusions.
ISP (Internet Service Provider): An ISP is a company that provides internet services to people. The ISP acts as a bridge between a user and the global network.
J
JBOH (JavaScript-Binding-Over-HTTP): JBOH is a technique used by hackers to misuse weaknesses in a web application. It allows them to run JavaScript code remotely and compromise its security.
K
Keylogger: Keylogger is a piece of malware that can record and transfer the keystrokes of people using a computer where it has been secretly installed. It allows the hacker to collect the users’ sensitive information, like passwords.
L
LAN (Local Area Network): LAN is a network technology that allows computer systems in a limited geographical area, for instance, an office, home, or campus, to be connected for internal communication, data sharing, and convenience.
Link Jacking: Link jacking is a tactic used by hackers to trick victims into clicking malicious links. These links could be redirecting them to a malicious site that contains infected content.
M
Malware (Malicious Software): Malware, also known as malicious software, is software designed with a malicious intent to compromise, damage, or exploit vulnerabilities of a computer system or network and cause damage.
Managed Detection and Response (MDR): MDR is a popular term in the cyber security glossary that is used to refer to a specialized service for the ongoing monitoring and analysis of security events and quick identification and response to threats.
The MITRE ATT&CK Framework: The MITRE ATT&CK Framework gathers and evaluates tactics used by real-world attackers and empowers people to enhance their cybersecurity defenses.
Mitigation: Mitigation refers to actions or strategies taken to minimize the impact of cyber threats and vulnerabilities and thus reduce potential damages.
MSP+ Cybersecurity Framework: The MSP+ Cybersecurity Framework is a comprehensive security framework that allows managed service providers to improve their cybersecurity posture and deliver effective security services.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): MFA is a protocol used in cybersecurity to cross-check the identity of a user and prevent unauthorized access through authentications through multiple methods such as passwords and biometrics.
Mobile Device Management (MDM): MDM is a software designed to help organizations manage, monitor, and regulate mobile devices securely.
N
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST): NIST is an advisory agency in the US that invests in the promotion of innovations in technology.
NIST Framework: The NIST Framework lists out instructions and recommends best practices for eliminating or minimizing cybersecurity risks.
O
Outsider Threat: An outsider threat is a security risk that has its origin from an external source, for instance, a hacker unrelated to the organization.
Outsourcing: Outsourcing, when used as a cyber security term, refers to contracting third-party providers to manage a security threat.
OWASP : OWASP stands for Open Web Application Security Project . It is an open-source project that aims to improve web application security. It develops and avails of advanced tools and resources for security professionals to deal with threats targeted at web applications.
P
PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service): PaaS is a cloud-based platform that allows developers to build, deploy, and manage applications.
Packet Sniffing: Packet Sniffing is the procedure of gathering and evaluating network packets to identify causes of traffic and quickly troubleshoot them.
Patch: Patch is one of the most commonly heard words among cyber security terms and definitions. It refers to a software update designed to repair bugs or vulnerabilities, or sometimes to add new features to software.
Patch Management: Patch management refers to the overall process of rolling out and installing software updates.
Payment Card Skimmers: Payment Card Skimmers are hacking devices attached to a credit or debit card reader that can capture the PIN of the users during transactions.
Pen Testing: Pen testing is a cybersecurity method used to assess the security posture of networks or systems. It involves identifying vulnerabilities and simulating real-world attacks on them.
Phishing: Phishing means tricking victims into sharing sensitive information via various electronic communication channels such as email, SMS, voice message, instant messaging services, social media, or websites.
PKI (Public Key Infrastructure): PKI is an infrastructure to manage digital certificates and keys and thereby ensure secure electronic communications.
POS (Point of Sale) Intrusions: POS intrusion refers to the malicious tactic of cybercriminals to gain unauthorized access to point-of-sale systems.
Q
Quantum Cryptography: Quantum cryptography is a science that deals with the use of quantum mechanics for secure data transmission.
Quarantine: Quarantine, in the context of cyber security terminology, refers to isolating infected systems or networks to stop the malware from spreading to other systems or networks.
R
Ransomware: Ransomware is malicious software used by cybercriminals to encrypt the data on the victim’s computer and demand a ransom in exchange for decryption keys.
Restore: Restore refers to the process of returning a system or piece of data to its original condition.
Risk Assessment: Risk assessment is a cybersecurity procedure to assess the potential vulnerabilities in a system and figure out how likely they are to impact the business.
Risk Management: Risk management is a basic term in cyber security that discusses the steps to identify, assess, and mitigate potential security threats in a computer system or network.
S
SaaS (Software-as-a-Service): SaaS is a modern solution that allows people or organizations to rent software applications over the Internet. It effectively overrides the requirement to install the software.
Sandboxing: Sandboxing is a procedure to isolate software and run it safely without compromising the main system.
SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition): SCADA systems are designed to control and monitor industrial processes such as power grids and factories to ensure efficient operation.
Security Control: Security Control refers to the set of measures designed to protect systems and data from cyber threats and attacks.
Security Perimeter: The security perimeter is the boundary within which a network or computer system is safe from breaches or unauthorized access.
SIEM (Security Information and Event Management): SIEM is a set of tools designed for cyber professionals to gather and evaluate security data and thereby quicken their incident response.
Sniffing: Sniffing refers to the covert act of intercepting data packets without the owner’s authorization to collect sensitive information.
Social Engineering: Social engineering is the vile act of manipulating individuals into revealing personal data or clicking on infectious links.
SPAM: SPAM consists of unsolicited mass email messages. They usually come with malware or phishing attempts.
Spear Phishing: Spear phishing is a cybersecurity threat that targets specific individuals with customized communications disguised as legitimate sources.
Spoof (spoofing): Spoofing is a tactic used by hackers to gain victims’ trust by adopting a fake identity and thereupon carrying out malicious acts.
Spyware: Spyware is software that can extract sensitive information from a victim on whose digital device it has been installed.
T
Threat Assessment: Threat assessment is a cybersecurity best practice where a professional checks a system or network to evaluate its security posture and device mitigation strategies.
Trojan Horse (Trojan): A Trojan Horse is a common malicious software used by hackers to infiltrate a victim’s computer and steal data. Initially, it appears to be a legitimate one.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Two-factor authentication is a security protocol used to safeguard a system or account from unauthorized access. Besides the usual login password, it will require a second verification method using a different factor (e.g., a hardware token or biometric) for access.
Two-step authentication: Two-step authentication will require two steps to verify an account holder’s identity. However, unlike 2FA, here both authentication methods could be using the same factor
U
Unauthorized Access: Unauthorized access refers to gaining access to someone else’s computer or account without their permission.
V
VPN (Virtual Private Network): VPN is a technology that helps one to create an encrypted connection between their device and the internet for secure and private browsing.
Virus: A virus is a malicious software that once infected on a system can quickly replicate itself and spread faster, eventually harming or compromising the victim’s computer systems.
Vishing: Vishing refers to a method of phishing which uses voice communication channels such as calls to deceive victims and manipulate them into revealing personal data.
Vulnerability: As per cyber security terms and definitions, vulnerability is the weakness in a network or computer system that an attacker can easily spot and exploit.
W
Whitelist: A whitelist is a list of approved websites, email addresses, or IP addresses that are permitted for access in a specific context, such as an office environment.
Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi is a technology that enables devices to connect to the network wirelessly.
Worm: Worm refers to malware that can spread through networks or computer systems on its own without human support and cause several types of damage.
X
X.509: X.509 is a digital certificate standard used by ISO/ITU-T to verify websites and the identity of servers. It is used in different security protocols, such as SSL/TLS.
XOR Encryption: XOR encryption is a method of encryption that uses a combination of bits with a secret key for encrypting the data.
XSS (Cross-Site Scripting): XSS is a web attack tactic used by hackers to inject infectious scripts into websites and leak sensitive information.
Y
Yielding Time: Yielding time refers to the amount of time a system requires to complete a request.
Yara Rules: Yara Rules is a cyber security terminology used to refer to the set of patterns used in detecting malware based on their unique features.
YubiKey: YubiKey is a USB device developed by Yubico. It offers two-factor authentication for user logins.
Z
Zombie: A zombie in the cyber security glossary is a computer that has been compromised and is used by hackers for malicious intent.
Conclusion
Knowing common cyber security terms and definitions can have immense benefits in today’s digital age. From helping you navigate the online world safely to making informed decisions about your digital security, Stay ahead of potential threats by expanding your cybersecurity knowledge.
