Cybersecurity
Glossary

Cybersecurity Glossary

Cybersecurity Terms and Definitions

The field of cybersecurity focuses on safeguarding data and IT infrastructure from bad actors, namely cybercriminals and hackers. Professionals in cybersecurity utilise their technological expertise to evaluate systems, fix flaws, and create systems that are well-secured from the perils of cyber attacks.

The terms in this cybersecurity glossary/dictionary might help you develop a basic understanding of the various concepts, types of attacks, tools, techniques and countermeasures. Studying this cybersecurity terminology and acronyms will make you feel more prepared and confident, whether you’re getting ready to pass a cybersecurity certification exam or interview for a new position.

What is the significance of Cybersecurity Terms?

Cybersecurity is a very dynamic, complex and growing field. There is a lot to learn and one has to remain constantly updated. The terms in this cybersecurity dictionary might help you become familiar with the basics of cybersecurity and act as a starting point for further learning. Studying these cybersecurity terms and acronyms will make you feel more prepared and confident, whether you’re getting ready to pass a cybersecurity certification exam or interview for a new position.

Access Control

It is the process of granting or denying particular requests or attempts to:

1) get and make use of the information and related information processing services; and

2) gain access to specific physical facilities.

Access Control List (ACL)

The list of permissions for an object. The list specifies who or what has permission to access the object and what actions can be taken on it. It is a method for describing, either implicitly or explicitly, the access modes supplied to each system entity in order to implement access control for that resource. The method enumerates the system entities that are allowed to access a system resource.

Access Control Policy

It refers to high-level requirements specify the access controls that are in place as well as who has access to what data and when.

Access Management

Only individuals who have been given access to a resource are permitted to take actions on it thanks to a series of procedures called access management. The three most frequent access management services you may unknowingly use on a regular basis are policy administration, authentication, and authorization.

Access Point

It refers to a device that provides access to a distribution system and logically connects wireless client devices to infrastructure.

Active Attack

It refers to an actual attempt by a threat source to compromise a system’s resources, data, or operations. Active assaults include man-in-the-middle (MITM), impersonation and session hijacking.

Active Directory

It is the Microsoft directory service for Windows domain networks’ identity management.

Address Resolution Protocol (ARP)

It refers to the process for discovering a node’s physical address. An ARP request with the target node’s IP address is broadcast across the network by a client station, and the node responds by providing back its physical address so that packets can be sent to it.

Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)

Advanced Encryption Standard, also referred to as AES. is a cryptographic method that can be used to secure digital data and has been approved by the US government. It was established by the U.S National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in 2001. AES is a block cipher with key sizes 128/192/256 bits. It encrypts data in blocks of 128 bits each.

Advanced Persistent Threat (APT)

An APT assault involves a threat actor breaking into a prominent network using the most cutting-edge strategies and tools. APTs want to remain ‘under the radar’ for weeks, months, or even years as they investigate the network. Nation-state threat actors who want to seriously undermine a nation’s political and economic stability frequently employ APTs. They could be compared to the “sleeper cells” of espionage in the world of cyberspace.

Adware

One kind of malware is adware. It downloads to your device and then shows advertising depending on your browser history or online behaviour. Adware may cause your device to lag and appear as obtrusive interstitials (pop-ups).

American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII)

It is a character encoding standard used in electronic communication. ASCII codes are used to represent text in computers, telecommunications equipment, and other gadgets.

Anomaly Detection

The identification of unexpected events, observations, or things that differ significantly from the norm is known as anomaly detection, also known as outlier detection.

Anonymizing Proxy

An anonymizer, also referred to as an anonymous proxy, is a technology used to obscure internet activity. It is a proxy server computer that stands between a client computer and the rest of the Internet as a mediator and privacy barrier.

Anti-spyware

Anti-spyware software is a type of program designed to prevent and detect unwanted spyware program installations and to remove those programs if installed. Detection may be either rules-based or based on downloaded definition files that identify currently active spyware programs.

Anti-spam Legislation

Anti-spam legislation aims to shield consumers from receiving unwanted and unauthorised commercial emails. While anti-spam regulations differ substantially between nations, many of them offer comparable safeguards. Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act (CAN-SPAM Act) was enacted in the US in 2003. The General Data Protection Regulation, which established new guidelines for data privacy and personal data that may impact email marketing, came into effect in the European Union in 2018.In Australia, The Spam Act 2003 establishes a framework for policing commercial electronic messages, including email and other forms. It is forbidden to send unsolicited commercial electronic messages. Commercial electronic messages must contain information about the person or business that gave the message’s sending permission.

Anti-spam Software

Anti-spam software works to identify and prevent potentially harmful email from reaching user inboxes. Spam is defined as an uninvited and undesired message (spam); frequently, spam advertises a product, which may be valid (though still unwanted) or malevolent. Anti-spam protocols define what constitutes spam.

Anti-spoofing

Countermeasures were put in place to stop anyone other than the attacker from using legitimate identity and authentication (I&A) information for illicit purposes. These are referred to as anti-spoofing measures.

Anti-virus or antivirus

It is a program used to guard against, spot, and get rid of malware from your computer, including viruses. It keeps the system protected by identifying malicious software and viruses based on their signature and latest virus definitions. Norton, Avast, AVG, Kaspersky and McAfee are a few examples of antivirus program that are often utilised in homes and offices. Also, referred to as AV and antimalware.

Application Control

Application controls include checks for accuracy and completeness, forensic controls, identity, authentication, and authorization.

Application Firewall

A form of firewall, an application firewall controls traffic going to, coming from, or being used by an application or service. A set of configured policies is used by application firewalls, also known as application layer firewalls, to decide whether to allow or deny connections to or from an app.

Why all stakeholders should familiarise themselves with cybersecurity terminology?

Since the cybersecurity industry is constantly evolving, ongoing education is crucial to understanding the latest threats. But how do you even start? A good understanding of cybersecurity terminology, acronyms and definitions is the first step in the process.

Cybersecurity is important because it protects all forms of data from loss and theft. It keeps the business processes going on by ensuring protection and resilience from cyber attacks. Cybersecurity professionals protect sensitive data, personally identifiable information (PII), protected health information (PHI), personal information, data relating to intellectual property, and information systems used by the government and business. To understand the countermeasures that can help keep your data safe from hackers, there are many hazards and terms that need to be understood.

Lack of broad cybersecurity understanding and unfamiliarity with key phrases will lead to ignorance, putting all the important data we need to secure at danger. Whether you are a cybersecurity student/enthusiast, an IT professional wanting to move into the promising field of cybersecurity or a senior manager, knowing cybersecurity lingo will help you in having well-informed and engaging conversations with other stakeholders.

How can one learn cybersecurity terminology?

This list of cybersecurity terms is the starting point. You can get a basic idea about various types of cybersecurity tools, techniques and countermeasures from this list. We have also included the major types of cyber attacks, hacking techniques and cybercrime modus operandi. You will also be able to expand the common cybersecurity acronyms. In addition to this list, you can go through the various articles published on our website by our team of cybersecurity experts. You can also follow us LinkedIn and Facebook.

Cybersecurity
Glossary