# Cybersecurity Glossary A cybersecurity glossary of some of the most commonly used terms in the industry. ##### Search Type to search Thank you! Your submission has been received! Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form. [View all](#) [A-F](#) [F-J](#) [K-O](#) [P-T](#) [U-Z](#) #### [Advanced Persistent Threat (APT)](/glossary/advanced-persistent-threat-apt) An Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) is a stealth cyberattack campaign where a hacker remains undetected inside a network to steal data for extended periods of time. Learn more #### [Attack Surface](/glossary/attack-surface) An attack surface is the sum of all possible malicious points of entry on a digital surface. Learn more #### [Attack Vector](/glossary/attack-vector) A cyber attack vector is a method of gaining unauthorized access to a private IT network. Cybercriminals exploit attack vectors to launch cyberattacks and inject malicious payloads. Learn more #### [Bank Secrecy Act (BSA)](/glossary/bank-secrecy-act-bsa) The Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) aims to prevent financial institutions from laundering money. Learn more #### [Bill C-11](/glossary/bill-c-11) Bill C-11 is a proposed cybersecurity law in Canada that mandates stricter customer data collection consent requirements. Learn more #### [Business Continuity Plan](/glossary/business-continuity-plan) A business continuity plan (BCP) outlines a set of preventive and recovery actions to be undertaken in the event of an incident. Learn more #### [Business Email Compromise (BEC)](/glossary/business-email-compromise) Business email compromise (BEC) is a type of email scam where cybercriminals scam organizations through social engineering techniques. BEC is also referred to as email account compromise (EAC) or ‘man-in-the-email’ scamming. Learn more #### [Cache](/glossary/cache) Caches temporarily store data that hardware or software frequently access. As cached data is stored closer to a device, it enables faster load times and improved user experience. Learn more #### [CASB](/glossary/casb) A CASB (cloud access security broker) is a cloud security tool that enforces security policies between users in an organization and cloud services. CASBs are one of five major security functions in the increasingly popular SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) security model, alongside software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN), firewall-as-a-service (FWaaS), secure web gateway (SWG), zero-trust network access (ZTNA). Learn more #### [Common Internet File System (CIFS)](/glossary/common-internet-file-system) CIFS (Common Internet File System) is a file-sharing protocol which enables local devices to access remote files and print services. The protocol is an unsecured dialect of SMB (Server Message Block), a communication protocol originally developed by IBM, with later versions developed by Microsoft. Learn more #### [Common Vulnerabilities & Exposures](/glossary/common-vulnerabilities-exposures) Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) is a public catalog of known cybersecurity issues in software solutions. Learn more #### [Compliance Management](/glossary/compliance-management) Compliance management is the practice of submitting all policies and IT solutions to the cybersecurity regulations that apply to a particular industry. Learn more #### [Cyber Attack](/glossary/cyberattack) A cyber attack is any unauthorized access to an IT network or digital devices for malicious purposes such as data theft, malware injection, or the initiation of additional attacks. Learn more #### [Cybersecurity](/glossary/cybersecurity) Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting sensitive data and IT networks from unauthorized access and cyber attacks. Learn more #### [Cyber Threat](/glossary/cyber-threat) A cyber threat is any action or event that could result in an unwanted impact on IT infrastructures. Learn more #### [Data Breach](/glossary/data-breach) A data breach is a critical security incident in which sensitive data is accessed without authorization or lost. These events are usually initiated by cybercriminals. Learn more #### [Data Exfiltration](/glossary/data-exfiltration) Data exfiltration is the malicious transfer of sensitive information from a compromised system to remote cybercriminal servers. Learn more #### [Data Leak](/glossary/data-leak) A data leak is an overlooked exposure of sensitive data usually occurring through a software vulnerability. Learn more #### [DDoS Attack](/glossary/ddos-attack) A Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack is an attempt to overwhelm a web server with fake internet traffic with the objective of forcing it offline. Learn more #### [Digital Risk](/glossary/digital-risk) Digital risk involves all of the negative consequences resulting from digital transformation. Digital transformation is the process of scaling a business by increasing its dependency on digital solutions. Learn more #### [Digital Risk Management](/glossary/digital-risk-management) Digital risk management is the process of mitigating digital risk across all risk categories. Learn more #### [Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)](/glossary/endpoint-detection-and-response) Endpoint detection and response (EDR), also known as endpoint threat detection, is a type of cybersecurity tool that identifies and mitigates cyber threats. Learn more #### [Enumeration Attack](/glossary/enumeration-attack) During an enumeration attack, hackers verify records stored in a web server using brute-force methods. Learn more #### [Essential Eight](/glossary/essential-eight) The Essential Eight is a cyber security posture maturity model by the Australian Cyber Security Center. The framework aims to help Australian businesses achieve the minimum baseline of cyber security recommended by the Australian government to defend against cyber threats. Learn more #### [FINRA](/glossary/finra) FINRA is a U.S. organization that oversees the protection of brokerage customer data from compromise. Learn more #### [Fourth-Party Risk](/glossary/fourth-party-risk) Fourth-party risk is risk brought on by your vendors’ vendors. An organization’s cybersecurity practices can become obsolete if its vendors do not have a robust third-party risk management (TPRM) program in place to manage fourth-party risk. Learn more #### [Indicators of Attack (IOAs)](/glossary/indicators-of-attack-ioas) An Indicator of Attack is real-time evidence of a cyberattack taking place. IOAs indicate the intentions behind the attack and the likely techniques that will be implemented. Learn more #### [Intrusion Detection System](/glossary/intrusion-detection-system) An intrusion detection system (IDS) identifies cyber attacks on a network or a host. Such attacks could include botnets, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS), and ransomware. Learn more #### [ISO/IEC 27001](/glossary/iso-iec-27001) ISO/IEC 27001 is an international standard for improving the cyber resilience of information systems. Learn more #### [Kerberos Authentication](/glossary/kerberos-authentication) Kerberos is an authentication protocol that uses secret-key cryptography to secure client-server communications. Learn more #### [Keylogger](/glossary/keylogger) A keylogger is a program that records every keystroke made by users. They are primarily used by cybercriminals to steal sensitive information like passwords and credit card numbers. Learn more #### [Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)](/glossary/lightweight-directory-access-protocol-ldap) Learn more #### [Malware](/glossary/malware) Malware is malicious software designed to compromise computer devices and IT networks. Learn more #### [Metasploit](/glossary/metasploit) Metasploit is a penetration testing framework, consisting of a number of tools used to test network security and discover system vulnerabilities. Learn more #### [NIST](/glossary/nist) The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is the United State's equivalent of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Learn more #### [Open Source Intelligence](/glossary/open-source-intelligence) Open source intelligence (OSINT) is data obtained from publically available sources which is analyzed and processed for intelligence purposes. Learn more #### [OSFI Self Assessments](/glossary/osfi-self-assessments) OSFI self-assessments are security self-assessments by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OFSI). Learn more #### [Payment Services Directive (PSD 2)](/glossary/payment-services-directive-psd-2) The Payment Services Directive (PSD 2) is a European directive for preventing monopolization in the banking sector. Learn more #### [PCI DSS](/glossary/pci-dss) The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) is a set of standards preventing credit card fraud and protecting credit card holders from personal data theft. Learn more #### [Phishing](/glossary/phishing) Phishing is a type of social engineering attack that aims to steal sensitive data from individuals and organizations. Learn more #### [Proxy Server](/glossary/proxy-server) A proxy server acts as a middle man that forwards data requests from a user to the origin server. Learn more #### [Ransomware](/glossary/ransomware) Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts computer systems to block user access until a set ransom is paid. Learn more #### [Ransomware Action Plan](/glossary/ransomware-action-plan) Australia’s Ransomware Action Plan outlines the Australian Government’s commitment to responding to the growing threat of ransomware attacks. Learn more #### [Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX)](/glossary/sarbanes-oxley-act-sox) The Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) act of 2002 is a regulation that mandates financial practices to prevent fraud. Learn more #### [SASE](/glossary/sase) SASE (Security Access Service Edge), pronounced “sassy”, is an emerging cybersecurity concept that converges networking and security functionalities into a cloud-native architecture. Learn more #### [Security Operations Center (SOC)](/glossary/security-operations-center) A security operations center (SOC) is a hub staffed by security personnel who continuously monitor an organization’s entire IT infrastructure. A SOC collects security event data from applications, security devices, data centers, cloud resources, and other systems via a Security Information Event Management (SIEM) system. Learn more #### [Server Message Block (SMB)](/glossary/server-message-block) SMB (Server Message Block) is a Windows communication protocol that allows users to share files, access print services, and browse across a local area network (LAN). The protocol was first released by IBM in 1983 and Microsoft has since released many newer versions (or dialects), including the now-obsolete CIFS (Common Internet File System). Learn more #### [SLACIP Act](/glossary/slacip-act) The SLACIP Act builds upon the SOCI ACT to further improve the cybersecurity of Australia's Critical Infrastructures. Learn more #### [Social Engineering](/glossary/social-engineering) Social engineering is the practice of tricking victims into supplying private information that could facilitate unauthorized access to a network. Learn more #### [Spring4Shell](/glossary/spring4shell) Spring4Shell is a a zero-day vulnerability in the Spring Core Java network Learn more #### [The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)](/glossary/the-california-consumer-privacy-act-ccpa) The California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) gives Californian consumers greater authority over how their personal data is collected and processed in California. Learn more #### [The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)](/glossary/gdpr) The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is Europe’s mandatory regulation for protecting the personal data of its citizens. Learn more #### [The Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act (GLBA)](/glossary/the-gramm-leach-bliley-act) The Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act (GLBA) is a U.S law that mandates the disclosure of customer data collection practices for organizations selling financial products and/or services. Learn more #### [Threat Intelligence](/glossary/threat-intelligence) Threat intelligence is information gathered by information security teams that is used to identify an organization’s cyber threats and mitigate the impact of any cyber attacks. Ongoing challenges across the cybersecurity landscape, like costly data breaches and increasing advanced persistent threats (APTs), are highlighting the importance of threat intelligence. Learn more #### [TTP Hunting](/glossary/ttp-hunting) TTP hunting is a form of cyber threat hunting that analyzes the Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTP) of cybercriminals. Learn more #### [UK-GDPR](/glossary/uk-gdpr) The UK-GDPR is the United Kingdom’s version of the European GDPR, created after Brexit. Learn more #### [Vendor Risk Management Program](/glossary/vendor-risk-management-program) A vendor risk management (VRM) program documents the processes and procedures an organization needs to implement an effective third-party risk management policy. Learn more #### [Vendor Tiering](/glossary/vendor-tiering) Vendor tiering is the process of categorizing third-party vendors by the level of security risk they introduce to an ecosystem. Learn more #### [Web Shell](/glossary/web-shell) A web shell attack is the process of injecting an infected script into a web server so that malicious commands can be issued to the compromised server from a web browser. Learn more #### No terms found Sorry, no terms matched that search. View all terms ### Sign up for our newsletter UpGuard's monthly newsletter cuts through the noise and brings you what matters most: our breaking research, in-depth analysis of emerging threats, and actionable strategic insights. ##### Free instant security score ## How secure is your organization? Request a free cybersecurity report to discover key risks on your website, email, network, and brand. * Instant insights you can act on immediately * Hundreds of risk factors including email security, SSL, DNS health, open ports and common vulnerabilities [Free score](/instant-security-score) Experience superior visibility and a simpler approach to cyber risk management [Get a demo](/contact-sales) [Free trial](/demo)