| Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) | An Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) is a highly sophisticated cyberattack where an adversary gains unauthorized access to a network and remains undetected for an extended period. APTs are often aimed at stealing intellectual property or sensitive data, or conducting espionage. These attacks are typically well-funded and conducted by nation-states or organized crime groups. A notable example is the Stuxnet virus, which targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities. |
| Application Security | Application Security involves practices and technologies designed to secure software applications from vulnerabilities and exploits throughout their lifecycle. |
| Attack Surface | The attack surface refers to all possible entry points within an organization’s digital environment that an attacker could exploit. This includes open ports, unsecured devices, outdated software, and weak passwords. The more complex and interconnected a system, the larger the attack surface. Regularly identifying and minimizing the attack surface is essential for reducing security risks. |
| Business Continuity Plan (BCP) | A Business Continuity Plan (BCP) outlines procedures for maintaining operations during a disaster or disruption, including cyberattacks. |
| Cloud Security | Cloud security refers to the protection of data, applications, and services hosted in cloud environments. Cloud security is critical as more organizations adopt cloud-based solutions. |
| Cyber Resilience | Cyber resilience is an organization’s ability to maintain core functions and quickly recover from a cyberattack or data breach. It encompasses both proactive and reactive measures, from firewalls and endpoint protection to incident response and disaster recovery plans. |
| Data Breach | A data breach occurs when unauthorized individuals gain access to confidential, protected, or sensitive information. This can result from hacking, poor security practices, or accidental disclosure. High-profile breaches like the Equifax incident in 2017 highlight the potential financial and reputational damage. |
| Data Integrity | Data integrity refers to the accuracy and reliability of data throughout its lifecycle. Ensuring data integrity is crucial for decision-making and regulatory compliance. |
| Data Loss Prevention (DLP) | Data Loss Prevention (DLP) consists of tools and strategies used to prevent sensitive data from being lost, misused, or accessed by unauthorized users. |
| Denial-of-Service (DoS) Attack | A Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack seeks to overwhelm a system or network with traffic, rendering it unavailable. Distributed DoS (DDoS) attacks often involve multiple devices to increase the impact. |
| DevSecOps | DevSecOps integrates security practices within the DevOps development process, ensuring that security is considered from the start of the software development lifecycle. |
| Encryption | Encryption is the process of encoding data so that only authorized parties can access it. Even if an attacker intercepts encrypted data, they cannot read it without the decryption key. Encryption is critical for protecting sensitive data, whether stored on servers or transmitted across networks. |
| Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) | Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) refers to integrated security solutions that detect, investigate, and respond to suspicious activities on devices. EDR systems are critical for identifying advanced attacks. |
| Endpoint Protection | Endpoint protection refers to the security measures taken to protect individual devices, like laptops, smartphones, and servers, from cyber threats. These devices are potential entry points for attackers and need protection via antivirus software, firewalls, and regular updates. |
| Firewall | A firewall is a network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing traffic based on predefined security rules. It acts as a barrier between a trusted internal network and external threats, such as hackers. For instance, a firewall can block malicious traffic from entering a network. |
| Identity and Access Management (IAM) | Identity and Access Management (IAM) ensures that only authorized individuals can access specific systems and data, controlling user roles and privileges within the organization. |
| Identity Theft | Identity theft occurs when attackers steal personal information to commit fraud, such as opening accounts or making purchases under someone else’s name. |
| Incident Management | Incident management refers to the processes used to identify, analyze, and resolve security incidents, minimizing damage and restoring normal operations. |
| Incident Response | Incident response is the process of detecting, investigating, and responding to security incidents. A well-prepared incident response plan helps minimize damage and recovery time. |
| Insider Threat | An insider threat comes from within the organization and can be either malicious or accidental. A famous example is Edward Snowden, who leaked classified information from the NSA. Organizations need to implement policies, monitoring, and awareness training to manage insider threats. |
| Malware | Malware, or malicious software, is designed to damage or disrupt systems or gain unauthorized access to them. It includes viruses, ransomware, spyware, and more. The WannaCry ransomware attack in 2017 is an example of a malware attack. |
| Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) | Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) are external companies that manage and monitor an organization’s security processes, providing continuous monitoring, threat detection, and response services. |
| Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) | Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of security beyond just a username and password by requiring additional verification steps. This reduces the risk of unauthorized access even if passwords are compromised. |
| Patch Management | Patch Management involves regularly updating software and systems to fix vulnerabilities and improve security, reducing the risk of exploitation by attackers. |
| Penetration Testing | Penetration Testing is the process of simulating cyberattacks on a system to identify and address vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by real attackers. |
| Phishing | Phishing is a form of social engineering where attackers trick individuals into providing sensitive information by pretending to be a legitimate entity. For instance, an employee might receive an email that appears to come from a bank, asking for login credentials. |
| Privileged Access Management (PAM) | Privileged Access Management (PAM) controls and monitors access to critical systems by users with elevated permissions, reducing the risk of insider threats and external attacks. |
| Ransomware | Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts a victim’s files and demands payment to restore access. An example is the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack in 2021. To mitigate ransomware risk, organizations must have data backups and strong endpoint protections. |
| Risk Assessment | A risk assessment is the process of identifying, evaluating, and prioritizing risks to an organization’s information assets. It enables decision-makers to allocate resources effectively and prepare for potential threats. |
| Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) | Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) integrates security and network connectivity in a cloud-based model, simplifying security management and delivering secure access to users regardless of their location. |
| Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) | Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) tools collect and analyze security events from across an organization’s IT infrastructure to detect and respond to potential threats. |
| Security Operations Center (SOC) | A Security Operations Center (SOC) is a centralized team that monitors, detects, and responds to security incidents in real-time. |
| Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) | Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) refers to technologies that enable organizations to manage security operations through automation and integration of tools. |
| Security Policy | A security policy is a documented set of rules and practices that governs how an organization manages and protects its information and IT assets. |
| Social Engineering | Social engineering is the manipulation of individuals into divulging confidential information through deception. Attackers often use psychological tricks to gain trust. Awareness training is critical to mitigating social engineering threats. |
| Supply Chain Attack | A supply chain attack occurs when cybercriminals target an organization by infiltrating a third-party vendor or service provider with access to its systems. The SolarWinds attack in 2020 is an example. |
| Threat Intelligence | Threat intelligence involves collecting and analyzing information about current and emerging cyber threats. This knowledge allows organizations to proactively defend against potential attacks. |
| Tokenization | Tokenization replaces sensitive data with unique identifiers (tokens), ensuring that even if intercepted, the data is meaningless without the corresponding tokenization system. |
| Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) | Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of protection by requiring a second form of verification in addition to a password. |
| Virtual Private Network (VPN) | A Virtual Private Network (VPN) allows secure, encrypted connections over the internet, often used by remote workers to securely access company resources. |
| Vulnerability | A vulnerability is a weakness in a system or process that can be exploited by a threat actor. Regularly scanning for vulnerabilities and applying patches is essential to prevent exploitation. |
| Vulnerability Management | Vulnerability management is the ongoing process of identifying, assessing, and addressing security vulnerabilities within an organization’s IT environment. |
| Zero Trust Architecture | Zero Trust Architecture is a security model that assumes no one, whether inside or outside the organization, can be trusted by default. It requires continuous verification of identity and access privileges. |
