Information Security Definitions
This glossary explains the meaning of key words and phrases that information technology (IT) and business professionals use when discussing IT security and related software products. You can find additional definitions by visiting WhatIs.com or using the search box below.
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V
vulnerability disclosure
Vulnerability disclosure is the practice of reporting security flaws in computer software or hardware.
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W
walled garden
On the internet, a walled garden is an environment that controls the user's access to network-based content and services.
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WannaCry ransomware
WannaCry ransomware is a cyber attack that spreads by exploiting vulnerabilities in the Windows operating system.
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watering hole attack
A watering hole attack is a security exploit in which the attacker seeks to compromise a specific group of end users by infecting websites that members of the group are known to visit.
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Web application firewall (WAF)
A web application firewall (WAF) is a firewall that monitors, filters and blocks Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) traffic as it travels to and from a website or web application.
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WebAuthn API
The Web Authentication API (WebAuthn API) is a credential management application program interface (API) that lets web applications authenticate users without storing their passwords on servers.
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whaling attack (whaling phishing)
A whaling attack, also known as whaling phishing or a whaling phishing attack, is a specific type of phishing attack that targets high-profile employees, such as the CEO or CFO, in order to steal sensitive information from a company.
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white hat hacker
A white hat hacker -- or ethical hacker -- is an individual who uses hacking skills to identify security vulnerabilities in hardware, software or networks.
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Wi-Fi Pineapple
A Wi-Fi Pineapple is a wireless auditing platform from Hak5 that allows network security administrators to conduct penetration tests.
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wildcard certificate
A wildcard certificate is a digital certificate that is applied to a domain and all its subdomains.
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Windows Defender Exploit Guard
Microsoft Windows Defender Exploit Guard is antimalware software that provides intrusion protection for Windows 10 OS users.
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Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)
Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) is a security protocol, specified in the IEEE Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) standard, 802.11b.
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WLAN Authentication and Privacy Infrastructure (WAPI)
WLAN Authentication and Privacy Infrastructure (WAPI) is a wireless local area network security standard officially supported by the Chinese government.
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WPA3
WPA3, also known as Wi-Fi Protected Access 3, is the third iteration of a security certification standard developed by the Wi-Fi Alliance.
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X
X.509 certificate
An X.509 certificate is a digital certificate that uses the widely accepted international X.509 public key infrastructure (PKI) standard to verify that a public key belongs to the user, computer or service identity contained within the certificate.
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Y
YubiKey
YubiKey is a security token that enables users to add a second authentication factor to online services from tier 1 vendor partners, including Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Salesforce.
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Z
What is the zero-trust security model?
The zero-trust security model is a cybersecurity approach that denies access to an enterprise's digital resources by default and grants authenticated users and devices tailored, siloed access to only the applications, data, services and systems they need to do their jobs.
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zero-day (computer)
A zero-day is a security flaw in software, hardware or firmware that is unknown to the party or parties responsible for patching or otherwise fixing the flaw.
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Zoombombing
Zoombombing is a type of cyber-harassment in which an individual or a group of unwanted and uninvited users interrupt online meetings over the Zoom video conference app.