Whether you are investing in cybersecurity software or creating it, you need to know what you are talking about. A good cybersecurity glossary can help you understand how different cybersecurity terms relate to your online safety. By learning more about cybersecurity, you can protect yourself against future attacks.
Cybersecurity Glossary of Terms
A thorough cybersecurity glossary can help you understand the industry. When you read cybersecurity terms in an advertisement, textbook, or user guide, you’ll be able to understand exactly what is being talked about.
Internet technology (IT), software, encryption, and other tech terms are changing on a daily basis. Because of this, it is impossible to have a truly comprehensive cybersecurity glossary. However, the following cybersecurity terms and definitions will give you a fairly comprehensive understanding of the field.
2FA
Even if you don’t know what 2FA means, you’ve probably encountered it already. Two-factor authentication is when a site or app uses two steps to authenticate a user. For instance, you may be asked to input your password and provide a code from a text message.
The entire point of 2FA is to create a heightened level of security. Because it is harder for hackers to access your cell phone or secondary authentication method, they are less likely to access your account.
Botnet
A bot is created when a remote administrator compromises an internet-connected computer using malicious logic. When there are many of these compromised computers linked together, it is known as a botnet. Once a botnet has been created, it can be controlled by malicious code and forced to perform DDoS attacks.
Bug
This is another inclusion in the cybersecurity glossary of terms you’ve most likely encountered before. A bug is essentially a small defect or issue in a device or information system.
BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)
Bring your own device is a new kind of policy at organizations. If your workplace has a BYOD policy, you are allowed to use your own device for work purposes instead of having to use a work device. Because these devices tend to have worse cybersecurity measures, it is important for organizations to require specific software or other protective features.
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing allows businesses to instantly scale up or down the resources they use. An on-demand network is made by sharing resources, like storage space, services, apps, services, and networks. Then, users can access additional resources without any management effort.
Data Breach
A data breach is another one of the cybersecurity terms you may hear in the news all the time. This kind of breach happens when confidential information is destroyed, accessed, or disclosed when it is supposed to be kept secure. When hackers steal passwords from retail organizations or governmental groups, they are committing a data breach.
DDoS Attack
A distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack is when someone tries to stop users from accessing a specific resource. Unlike a DoS attack, a distributed DDoS attack uses a variety of sources, so it seems like the attack’s traffic is coming from many different places. A DDoS attack can completely overload a system or resource by using numerous sources until it effectively stops functioning.
Botnets are often used for DDoS attacks because they are a simple way to wage an attack. The first documented DDoS attack happened in
when a 15-year-old hacker called Mafiaboy used DDoS attacks to take down the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s website, eBay, and Amazon.
Encryption Key
Data is protected through an encryption key, which is a secret number used to encrypt and decrypt information. The longer the key is, the harder it is for someone to hack it. Even if someone manages to access encrypted data, they are unable to read what it says unless they have access to the encryption key.
Endpoint security
Endpoint security is when entry points and endpoints are secured on laptops, mobile phones, desktops, and similar devices. This kind of security measure is supposed to prevent bad actors from exploiting the device. In addition to standard antivirus software, endpoint security now uses advanced malware and focuses on protecting against zero-day threats.
Exposure Factor
Exposure factor refers to the subjective loss of an asset if a potential threat ends up happening. It is expressed as a percentage. This figure shows the percentage of the asset lost after the threat, and it is used to conduct an organization’s risk assessment.
Firewall
With a firewall, you can protect your network, device, or information system from malicious actors. It is a kind of hardware or software designed to deny certain kinds of traffic by using pre-set rules. Advanced firewalls have specific protocols, user authentication rules, and header values that determine what kind of traffic is allowed or denied.
Hacker
A hacker is a person who is skilled at using computer systems and codes. While ethical hackers can help organizations find security flaws, hackers can also be malicious cybercriminals. If an unauthorized user gains access to a system, it can lead to billions of dollars in losses, identity theft, and similar repercussions.
Malware
Malware is a kind of code used to violate the security of a system. It can be made up of a variety of programs, like worms, logic bombs, rootkits, spyware, ransomware, or Trojan horses. Once the malware has compromised a system, it can lead to the disclosure of information.
MFA
Multifactor authentication (MFA) is when you are required to provide two or more authenticators to log in or prove your identity. All 2FAs are MFAs, but not all MFAs are 2FAs because MFAs could have more than just two authentication types. Through this method, you can increase the level of security and prevent cybercriminals from accessing private data.
There are three kinds of authentication factors: something you have, something you know, and something you are. While something you know is a personal identification number (PIN) or password, something you are is biometric, like a fingerprint or retinal scan. Meanwhile, something you have refers to a token or some type of cryptographic identification device.
Patch
This is another useful part of a cybersecurity glossary. Typically, a patch is used to update or repair an application or operating system. If there is a bug in the system, a patch can fix it. To prevent potential flaws and vulnerabilities, it is always important to test patches and updates before using them in your system.
Phishing
Phishing is a kind of social engineering attack. Instead of relying on code to break into a system, hackers use the human element. For instance, hackers may send emails that look like they are legitimate messages from a boss or government authority.
These attacks can occur through texts, social media sites, smartphone apps, and emails. Ultimately, the goal of the attack is normally to figure out someone’s credit card information or login credentials. These attacks may also be used to access a company or network for malicious reasons.
Ransomware
This is a common inclusion in a cybersecurity glossary of terms. Ransomware is a kind of malware capable of taking your data hostage. Basically, a cybercriminal uses ransomware to encrypt your device or software, so you are completely unable to access it.
In order to retrieve your files, the cybercriminal requires you to make a payment in Bitcoin or another untraceable currency. While paying off cybercriminals encourages future attacks, it is often the only way to retrieve captured data once ransomware has been installed on your system.
Risk Assessment
Organizations regularly conduct risk assessments to determine their unique level of risk. They start by inventorying all of their assets and determining the value of each asset. Then, the organization figures out the threats faced by each asset.
Afterward, organizations use the asset’s exposure factor to determine the value of losses if a specific threat happens and how often this threat might happen. This provides the annualized loss expectancy (ALE). Ultimately, a risk assessment is similar to the business world’s cost-benefit analysis, and it helps determine how much should be invested in preventing specific threats from occurring.
SPAM
Technically, SPAM stands for special processed American meat because digital spam was named after the food. In a digital environment, spam refers to unwanted emails, texts, VoIP, chats, or other messages. While a lot of spam focuses on advertising, it can also contain viruses or malicious codes.
Spyware
Like ransomware, spyware is frequently used by malicious actors to monitor what someone is doing on an information system. While there are legitimate uses of spyware by advertising companies, this software is generally used to secretly monitor information systems without the user’s awareness.
VPN
Another one of the most common cybersecurity terms is a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN is when a communication link is encrypted between different networks or systems. Because of this encryption, the communications are secure and private.
Zero-day Threats
A zero-day threat or a zero-day attack is one of the cybersecurity terms and definitions for when an attack has never been seen before. These attacks are especially dangerous because no one is trying to detect them because they don’t match any known malware signatures. While hackers do everything, they can to discover zero-day threats, corporations and organizations invest significant resources in trying to find these threats first.
Always Be Mindful of This Cybersecurity Glossary
As you learn and understand these cybersecurity terms, you’ll be better prepared to protect yourself, your business, and your assets. They are key to long-term safety online.
Want to learn more about cybersecurity and how to stay protected? Check out the Makios blog today!
