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Glossary

Our glossary is designed to help you navigate the language of technology and cybersecurity with ease. Whether you’re a business leader, IT professional, or simply curious, these definitions provide clear explanations of key terms, concepts, and acronyms you’re likely to encounter.
2FA/MFA
2 Factor Authentication / Multi-factor Authentication
Association of International Certified Professional Accountants
Artificial Intelligence
Application Programming Interface
Access Point (wireless)
Advanced Persistent Threat
Business Continuity
A system in which a record of transactions, especially those made in a cryptocurrency, is maintained across computers that are linked in a peer-to-peer network.
Bring Your Own Device
Refers to: 1) a region of computer memory where frequently accessed data can be stored for rapid access; or 2) a optional file on your hard drive where such data also can be stored.
Computer Based Training
The practice of using a network of remote servers hosted on the internet to store, manage, and process data, rather than a local server or a personal computer.
A small piece of information you may be asked to accept when connecting to certain servers via a web browser. It is used throughout your session as a means of identifying you. A cookie is specific to, and sent only to the server that generated it.
Systematic review of cybersecurity controls and vulnerabilities to determine health of cybersecurity program
Insurance purchased to provide compensation from lost time and revenue from a cybersecurity incident
Digital Loss Prevention
Domain Name Server
A human-readable address for a website
Disaster Recovery
Endpoint Detection & Response – a cybersecurity solution that continuously monitors and collects data from endpoints (like laptops and servers) to detect, investigate, contain, and remediate cyber threats such as ransomware and advanced malware
The manipulation of data to prevent accurate interpretation by all but those for whom the data is intended
Typically the end user workstation
Exfiltration
A method of preventing unauthorized access to or from a particular network; firewalls can be implemented in both hardware and software, or both
File Transfer Protocol
A hardware or software component that connects two different networks or systems, allowing them to communicate even if they use different protocols or have different implementations
Graphical User Interface
The unauthorized access to or control of a computer system, network, or device
A process that converts input data of any size into a fixed-size string of characters, called a hash value or fingerprint, using a mathematical hash function
A unique string of characters that identifies each computer using the Internet Protocol to communicate over a network
Internet of Things
An open-source operating system that runs on a number of hardware platforms including PCs and Macintoshes. Linux is freely available over the Internet
Mobile Device Management
Managed Detection and Response
MSP
Managed Service Provider or Managed Service Plan
Managed Security Service Provider
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Network Operations Center
Optical Character Recognition
Operating System
A piece of software code designed to update, fix, or improve existing software, an operating system, or data by addressing bugs, vulnerabilities, and other issues
A simulated cyberattack that identifies vulnerabilities in a system, network, or application by mimicking real-world attackers’ tools and techniques
A technique for attempting to acquire sensitive data, such as bank account numbers, through a fraudulent solicitation in email or on a web site, in which the perpetrator masquerades as a legitimate business or reputable person
A type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid
A crucial, hierarchical database within the Microsoft Windows operating system that stores all configuration settings for the operating system, hardware, and installed applications
A risk assessment identifies, evaluates, and prioritizes potential threats to an organization’s information systems.
A networking device that connects multiple networks, such as your home network to the internet, and directs data packets to their intended destinations
Recovery Point Objective – defines the maximum amount of data an organization can afford to lose, measured in time, following a disruption or disaster
Recovery Time Objective – the maximum acceptable duration a system, network, or application can be unavailable after a failure or disaster, with the goal of resuming operations within this timeframe
Security Information and Event Management
A powerful computer on a network that provides services, resources, and data to other computers, known as clients, which request them
The fraudulent practice of sending text messages purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords or credit card numbers
Security Operations Center
Irrelevant or inappropriate messages sent on the internet to a large number of recipients
The fraudulent practice of sending emails ostensibly from a known or trusted sender in order to induce targeted individuals to reveal confidential information
Transfer Connect Protocol / Internet Protocol
A proactive cybersecurity practice where specialized analysts and tools search networks and systems for ongoing, undetected cyber threats that have bypassed traditional security defenses
UNiplexed Information Computing System – a family of multitasking, multi-user operating systems that originated at AT&T Bell Labs in the late 1960s
A piece of software code designed to update, fix, or improve existing software, an operating system, or data by addressing bugs, vulnerabilities, and other issues
A user is any individual who interacts with a computer system or network.
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure
Technology that creates software-based, or “virtual,” versions of physical IT resources like servers, storage, networks, and operating systems, allowing multiple virtual machines to run on a single physical machine
The fraudulent practice of making phone calls or leaving voice messages purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as bank details and credit card numbers
Virtual Machine
Virtual Private Network
Wide Area Network
eXtended Detection & Response – a unified cybersecurity platform that collects and analyzes security data from multiple security layers—like endpoints, networks, cloud, and email—to provide comprehensive, automated threat detection, investigation, and response
A cybersecurity flaw or vulnerability that is unknown to the software vendor or developers, meaning there is no patch or fix available for it
A security framework and mindset that operates on the principle of “never trust, always verify”
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