Glosarry
Here’s a comprehensive glossary of common cybersecurity terms:
A
Access Control: Security techniques that regulate who or what can view or use resources in a computing environment.
Adware: Software that displays unwanted ads and is often bundled with free software downloads.
Advanced Persistent Threat (APT): A long-term, targeted cyberattack where an unauthorized person gains access to a network and remains undetected.
Antivirus Software: A program designed to detect and remove malware from computers and networks.
B
Backdoor: A hidden method for bypassing security controls to access a computer system.
Botnet: A network of compromised computers remotely controlled by a hacker to perform malicious tasks, such as sending spam or launching DDoS attacks.
Brute Force Attack: A method of cracking passwords or encryption by systematically trying all possible combinations.
C
Cloud Security: Policies, technologies, and controls deployed to protect data, applications, and infrastructure in cloud computing environments.
Cryptography: The practice of securing information by converting it into a secure format (encryption).
Cyberattack: Any offensive action against a computer system, network, or data by a malicious party to cause harm, steal information, or disrupt operations.
D
Data Breach: The unauthorized access and retrieval of sensitive information by hackers.
Denial of Service (DoS): An attack where a system is overwhelmed with traffic or requests, causing it to become unavailable.
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS): A more powerful form of a DoS attack, using multiple compromised systems (often botnets) to flood the target.
DNS Spoofing: An attack that alters DNS records to redirect traffic to fraudulent sites.
E
Encryption: The process of converting data into a code to prevent unauthorized access.
Endpoint: Any device that connects to a network, such as a computer, smartphone, or IoT device.
Exploit: A software tool or code used to take advantage of a vulnerability in a system.
F
Firewall: A security device that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules.
Forensics: The practice of investigating cybercrimes by collecting, preserving, and analyzing digital evidence.
Firmware: The permanent software programmed into hardware devices that controls its operation.
G
Gateway: A network node used to manage traffic between networks and the internet.
Gray Hat Hacker: A hacker who may engage in unauthorized activities but without malicious intent, often highlighting vulnerabilities for the purpose of fixing them.
H
Hacktivism: The act of hacking into systems for political or social purposes.
Hashing: The process of converting data into a fixed-size string of characters, often used to verify data integrity.
Honeypot: A decoy system set up to attract and trap cyber attackers, providing security researchers with insights into their tactics.
I
Identity Theft: The illegal acquisition and use of someone else’s personal information, usually for financial gain.
Incident Response: The process of identifying, managing, and mitigating the impact of cybersecurity incidents.
Insider Threat: A threat that originates from within the organization, such as a disgruntled employee.
Internet of Things (IoT): A network of internet-connected devices, such as smart appliances, vehicles, and wearable tech, that can collect and exchange data.
J
Jailbreaking: The process of removing software restrictions on iOS devices to allow for the installation of unauthorized apps or software.
Juice Jacking: A cyberattack that occurs when a device is charged using a compromised USB port or charging station, allowing data to be stolen or malware installed.
K
Keylogger: Malware that records every keystroke a user makes, often used to capture login credentials or sensitive information.
Kill Chain: A step-by-step model that describes the stages of a cyberattack, from reconnaissance to data exfiltration.
L
Logic Bomb: Malicious code that is triggered when certain conditions are met, such as a specific date or action by the user.
Least Privilege: A security concept that ensures users are only given the minimal level of access necessary to perform their job functions.
M
Malware: Malicious software designed to harm or exploit any programmable device or network, including viruses, worms, Trojans, and ransomware.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): A security process requiring users to provide two or more forms of identification (e.g., password and a fingerprint) to access systems.
Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attack: An attack where the attacker secretly intercepts and possibly alters communications between two parties.
N
Network Security: Measures taken to protect a network and its data from unauthorized access, misuse, or theft.
Nonce: A random number or value used only once in cryptographic communication to ensure that old communications cannot be reused in replay attacks.
NIDS (Network Intrusion Detection System): A system that monitors network traffic for suspicious activity and issues alerts when a potential intrusion is detected.
O
OAuth: An open standard for token-based authentication and authorization, often used to enable third-party access to systems without exposing user credentials.
Open Source Intelligence (OSINT): Information collected from publicly available sources to be used in security assessments and investigations.
P
Phishing: A cyberattack in which a fraudulent attempt is made to obtain sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords, or financial details, by pretending to be a trustworthy entity.
Patch: A software update released to fix security vulnerabilities and improve functionality.
Penetration Testing: A security assessment method where a simulated attack is launched to identify vulnerabilities in a system.
Q
Quarantine: The process of isolating infected or suspicious files to prevent further damage or spread of malware.
R
Ransomware: A type of malware that encrypts a victim’s data and demands payment (ransom) to restore access.
Red Team: A group of cybersecurity experts who simulate real-world attacks to test an organization’s defenses.
S
Sandboxing: A security mechanism that isolates suspicious files or code in a separate environment to observe their behavior without risking harm to the system.
SIEM (Security Information and Event Management): A system that collects, analyzes, and reports on security-related data from across an organization to identify threats and manage incidents.
Social Engineering: A tactic used by attackers to manipulate individuals into revealing confidential information or performing actions that compromise security.
T
Threat Intelligence: Information about cyber threats that can help an organization protect itself from attacks by anticipating and identifying potential risks.
Trojan Horse: Malicious software disguised as legitimate software, often used to gain unauthorized access to a system.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): A security measure that requires two separate forms of identification (e.g., password and one-time code) to access a system.
U
URL Spoofing: The creation of a fake website that mimics a legitimate site to trick users into entering sensitive information.
User Behavior Analytics (UBA): A cybersecurity process that tracks and analyzes user behavior to detect anomalous or malicious actions.
V
Vulnerability: A flaw or weakness in software, hardware, or processes that can be exploited by attackers to gain unauthorized access or cause harm.
Virtual Private Network (VPN): A secure network connection that encrypts data transmitted between a user’s device and a network.
W
Worm: A type of malware that replicates itself and spreads across networks, often without the need for human interaction.
Whitelisting: A security process that allows only approved applications or devices to access a system or network.
X
XSS (Cross-Site Scripting): A vulnerability that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into trusted websites, potentially compromising user data.
Y
YARA: A tool designed to help malware researchers identify and classify malware by creating rules based on textual or binary patterns.
Z
Zero-Day Attack: An attack that exploits a vulnerability that is unknown to the software vendor or public, leaving no time to patch the system before the attack occurs.
Zero Trust: A security model where no one is trusted by default, and verification is required for every access request, whether inside or outside the network.
This glossary covers a wide range of essential cybersecurity terms and concepts.
Here’s a comprehensive glossary of common computer science terms:
A
Algorithm: A step-by-step set of instructions designed to perform a specific task or solve a problem.
API (Application Programming Interface): A set of rules and protocols that allows different software applications to communicate with each other.
Artificial Intelligence (AI): The simulation of human intelligence in machines that can perform tasks such as learning, reasoning, and problem-solving.
Array: A data structure that stores a collection of elements, typically of the same data type, in a specific order.
B
Big Data: Extremely large datasets that are difficult to manage and analyze using traditional data processing techniques.
Binary: A base-2 numeral system used in computers, consisting of only two digits: 0 and 1.
Blockchain: A decentralized and distributed digital ledger technology used to record transactions across many computers in a way that ensures security and immutability.
Boolean: A data type that has only two possible values: true or false, used in logic and decision-making.
C
Class: A blueprint for creating objects in object-oriented programming that defines attributes and methods.
Cloud Computing: The delivery of computing services (such as storage, processing, and networking) over the internet, allowing users to access resources without managing physical hardware.
Compiler: A program that translates source code written in a high-level programming language into machine code that can be executed by a computer.
CPU (Central Processing Unit): The primary component of a computer that performs most of the processing and executes instructions.
D
Database: A structured collection of data that can be accessed, managed, and updated electronically.
Data Structure: A way of organizing and storing data in a computer so that it can be accessed and modified efficiently.
Debugging: The process of finding and fixing errors or bugs in a computer program.
Deep Learning: A subset of machine learning that uses neural networks with many layers to model complex patterns in data.
E
Encapsulation: An object-oriented programming principle that restricts access to the internal details of an object and only exposes necessary information.
Encryption: The process of converting data into a coded format to protect it from unauthorized access.
Edge Computing: A distributed computing paradigm that brings computation and data storage closer to the devices and sensors at the edge of the network.
Entity-Relationship Model (ER Model): A conceptual representation of data that describes the relationships between entities in a database.
F
Function: A reusable block of code designed to perform a specific task and can be called multiple times within a program.
Frontend Development: The development of the part of a website or application that users interact with, involving technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Firewall: A network security device or software that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on security rules.
G
Git: A version control system that allows developers to track changes in source code and collaborate on projects.
Graph: A data structure consisting of nodes (vertices) and edges (connections between nodes) used to represent relationships between entities.
Garbage Collection: An automatic memory management process that frees up memory that is no longer being used by a program.
H
Heap: A specialized tree-based data structure used in algorithms to manage and prioritize data elements.
Hash Function: A function that takes an input (or “message”) and returns a fixed-size string of bytes, typically used in data retrieval and encryption.
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language): The standard language used to create and structure web pages.
I
Inheritance: An object-oriented programming concept where a new class can inherit properties and methods from an existing class.
Interface: A programming construct that defines a contract for what methods a class should implement, without specifying how the methods should be implemented.
IDE (Integrated Development Environment): A software application that provides comprehensive facilities for software development, including a code editor, debugger, and compiler.
IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6): The most recent version of the Internet Protocol, designed to address the limitations of IPv4 by providing a larger address space.
J
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation): A lightweight data format used for transmitting structured data, often between a server and a web application.
Java: A high-level, object-oriented programming language widely used for building web applications, mobile apps, and large systems.
JVM (Java Virtual Machine): A virtual machine that allows Java bytecode to be executed on any platform that has the JVM installed.
K
Kernel: The core part of an operating system that manages system resources, such as memory, processing, and devices.
Kubernetes: An open-source platform used to automate the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications.
L
Loop: A programming structure that repeats a set of instructions until a certain condition is met.
Library: A collection of pre-written code or functions that developers can use to save time and avoid reinventing the wheel.
Load Balancer: A device or software that distributes network or application traffic across multiple servers to ensure reliability and availability.
M
Machine Learning (ML): A subset of artificial intelligence that enables computers to learn from data and improve their performance over time without being explicitly programmed.
Microservices: A software architecture style where applications are composed of small, independent services that communicate with each other.
Middleware: Software that acts as a bridge between different applications or systems, enabling communication and data exchange.
N
Normalization: The process of organizing data in a database to reduce redundancy and improve data integrity.
Node.js: A JavaScript runtime built on Chrome’s V8 engine, commonly used for building server-side applications.
Neural Network: A set of algorithms, modeled loosely after the human brain, designed to recognize patterns and make decisions.
O
Object-Oriented Programming (OOP): A programming paradigm based on the concept of objects, which are instances of classes that contain data and methods.
Operating System (OS): The software that manages computer hardware and software resources and provides services for computer programs.
Open Source: Software that is made available with its source code, allowing anyone to inspect, modify, and distribute it.
P
Polymorphism: An OOP concept where an object can take on multiple forms, allowing a single method to work with different data types.
Python: A high-level, versatile programming language known for its readability and extensive libraries, commonly used in web development, data analysis, and machine learning.
Packet: A small unit of data sent over a network, containing both the data and information on how it should be delivered.
Q
Queue: A data structure that follows the First-In-First-Out (FIFO) principle, where elements are added to the back and removed from the front.
Query: A request for information or data from a database or other system.
R
Recursion: A programming technique where a function calls itself in order to solve a problem.
RAM (Random Access Memory): A type of computer memory that is used for storing data that is being actively used or processed by the computer.
REST (Representational State Transfer): An architectural style for designing networked applications, often used in web services and APIs.
S
Stack: A data structure that follows the Last-In-First-Out (LIFO) principle, where elements are added and removed from the top.
SQL (Structured Query Language): A language used for managing and querying relational databases.
Source Code: The human-readable instructions written in a programming language that define what a program does.
T
TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol): A suite of communication protocols used to connect devices on the internet and transfer data.
Thread: A sequence of executable commands within a program that can run independently of other threads.
Turing Machine: A mathematical model of computation that defines an abstract machine capable of solving any problem given enough time and memory.
U
UI (User Interface): The space where interactions between humans and machines occur, often referring to the visual elements of software that users interact with.
UX (User Experience): The overall experience a user has when interacting with a product or system, focusing on usability, design, and functionality.
V
Virtual Machine (VM): A software-based emulation of a physical computer that runs an operating system and applications as if they were on actual hardware.
Version Control: A system that records changes to files over time so that developers can track modifications, revert to previous versions, and collaborate on code.
VPN (Virtual Private Network): A technology that creates a secure, encrypted connection over a less secure network, often used to protect privacy and secure communications.
W
WebSocket: A communication protocol that allows for full-duplex communication between a client and a server, commonly used in real-time web applications.
Wi-Fi: A technology that allows electronic devices to connect to a wireless local area network (WLAN) using radio waves.
Wrapper: A piece of code that provides a way to use the functionality of an external system or library in a simplified or standardized way.
X
XML (Extensible Markup Language): A markup language used for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable.
Y
YAML (YAML Ain’t Markup Language): A human-readable data serialization format commonly used for configuration files and data exchange between languages.
Z
Zero-Day Vulnerability: A software vulnerability that is unknown to the vendor and can be exploited by attackers before it is patched.
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