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• access log

  An access log is a list of all requests for individual files -- such as Hypertext Markup Language files, their embedded graphic images and other associated files that get transmitted -- that people or bots have made from a website. Continue Reading

• elliptical curve cryptography (ECC)

  Elliptical curve cryptography (ECC) is a public key encryption technique based on elliptic curve theory that can be used to create faster, smaller and more efficient cryptographic keys. Continue Reading

• ciphertext feedback (CFB)

  In cryptography, ciphertext feedback (CFB), also known as cipher feedback, is a mode of operation for a block cipher. Continue Reading

• Editor's picks: Top cybersecurity articles of 2021

  As we call it a wrap on 2021, SearchSecurity looks at the top articles from the last 12 months and their sweeping trends, including ransomware, career planning and more. Continue Reading

• cryptographic checksum

  Generated by a cryptographic algorithm, a cryptographic checksum is a mathematical value assigned to a file sent through a network for verifying that the data contained in that file is unchanged. Continue Reading

• Definitions to Get Started

  • principle of least privilege (POLP)
  • DNS over HTTPS (DoH)
  • governance, risk and compliance (GRC)
  • total risk

  • steganography
  • triple extortion ransomware
  • double extortion ransomware
  • risk avoidance

  View All Definitions

• smart card

  A smart card is a physical card that has an embedded integrated chip that acts as a security token.Continue Reading

• 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.Continue Reading

• International Data Encryption Algorithm (IDEA)

  The International Data Encryption Algorithm (IDEA) is a symmetric key block cipher encryption algorithm designed to encrypt text to an unreadable format for transmission via the internet.Continue Reading

• Encrypting File System (EFS)

  Encrypting File System (EFS) provides an added layer of protection by encrypting files or folders on various versions of the Microsoft Windows OS.Continue Reading

• Types of cybersecurity controls and how to place them

  A unilateral cybersecurity approach is ineffective in today's threat landscape. Learn why organizations should implement security controls based on the significance of each asset.Continue Reading

• Top infosec best practices, challenges and pain points

  Weak infosec practices can have irrevocable consequences. Read up on infosec best practices and challenges, as well as the importance of cybersecurity controls and risk management.Continue Reading

• 10 common types of malware attacks and how to prevent them

  The umbrella term malware is one of the greatest cybersecurity threats enterprises face. Learn about 10 common types of malware and how to prevent them.Continue Reading

• Top 10 IT security frameworks and standards explained

  Several IT security frameworks and cybersecurity standards are available to help protect company data. Here's advice for choosing the right one for your organization.Continue Reading

• copyright

  Copyright is a legal term describing ownership of control of the rights to the use and distribution of certain works of creative expression, including books, video, motion pictures, musical compositions and computer programs.Continue Reading

• security awareness training

  Security awareness training is a formal process for educating employees and third-party stakeholders, like contractors and business partners, how to protect an organization's computer systems, along with its data, people and other assets, from ...Continue Reading

• stealth virus

  A stealth virus is a computer virus that uses various mechanisms to avoid detection by antivirus software.Continue Reading

• spam filter

  A spam filter is a program used to detect unsolicited, unwanted and virus-infected emails and prevent those messages from getting to a user's inbox.Continue Reading

• micro VM (micro virtual machine)

  A micro VM (micro virtual machine) is a virtual machine program that serves to isolate an untrusted computing operation from a computer's host operating system.Continue Reading

• Chernobyl virus

  The Chernobyl virus is a computer virus with a potentially devastating payload that destroys all computer data when an infected file is executed.Continue Reading

• Why you need an email security policy and how to build one

  Companies must have an effective security policy in place to keep email protected from cybercriminals and employee misuse. Learn the best route to build one for your company.Continue Reading

• password salting

  Password salting is a technique to protect passwords stored in databases by adding a string of 32 or more characters and then hashing them.Continue Reading

• virtual local area network hopping (VLAN hopping)

  Virtual local area network hopping (VLAN hopping) is a method of attacking the network resources of a VLAN by sending packets to a port not usually accessible from an end system.Continue Reading

• evil twin attack

  An evil twin attack is a rogue Wi-Fi access point (AP) that masquerades as a legitimate one, enabling an attacker to gain access to sensitive information without the end user's knowledge.Continue Reading

• OCSP (Online Certificate Status Protocol)

  OCSP (Online Certificate Status Protocol) is one of two common schemes used to maintain the security of a server and other network resources.Continue Reading

• Elk Cloner

  Elk Cloner is the first personal computer virus or self-replicating program known to have spread in the wild on a large scale.Continue Reading

• Melissa virus

  Melissa was a type of email virus that initially become an issue in early 1999.Continue Reading

• biometric payment

  Biometric payment is a point-of-sale (POS) technology that uses biometric authentication physical characteristics to identify the user and authorize the deduction of funds from a bank account.Continue Reading

• Twofish

  Twofish is a symmetric-key block cipher with a block size of 128 bits and variable-length key of size 128, 192 or 256 bits.Continue Reading

• How to create a company password policy, with template

  Use these guidelines and our free template to ensure your company's password policy sets the ground rules for strong and effective password creation and use.Continue Reading

• walled garden

  On the internet, a walled garden is an environment that controls the user's access to network-based content and services.Continue Reading

• potentially unwanted program (PUP)

  A potentially unwanted program (PUP) is a program that may be unwanted, despite the possibility that users consented to download it.Continue Reading

• Elastic Stack Security tutorial: How to create detection rules

  This excerpt from 'Threat Hunting with Elastic Stack' provides step-by-step instructions to create detection rules and monitor network security events data.Continue Reading

• plaintext

  In cryptography, plaintext is usually ordinary readable text before it is encrypted into ciphertext or after it is decrypted.Continue Reading

• black hat hacker

  A black hat hacker has been historically used to describe one who has malicious intent -- such as theft of information, fraud or disrupting systems -- but increasingly, more specific terms are being used to describe those people.Continue Reading

• cookie poisoning

  Cookie poisoning is a type of cyber attack in which a bad actor hijacks, forges, alters or manipulates a cookie to gain unauthorized access to a user's account, open a new account in the user's name or steal the user's information for purposes such ...Continue Reading

• footprinting

  Footprinting is an ethical hacking technique used to gather as much data as possible about a specific targeted computer system, an infrastructure and networks to identify opportunities to penetrate them.Continue Reading

• snooping

  Snooping, in a security context, is unauthorized access to another person's or company's data.Continue Reading

• What are the most important email security protocols?

  Email was designed without security considerations, but these top email security protocols add mechanisms to keep messaging safe from threats.Continue Reading

• Nimda

  First appearing on September 18, 2001, Nimda is a computer virus that caused traffic slowdowns as it rippled across the internet.Continue Reading

• ISO 31000 Risk Management

  The ISO 31000 Risk Management framework is an international standard that provides businesses with guidelines and principles for risk management from the International Organization for Standardization.Continue Reading

• CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing Test to Tell Computers and Humans Apart)

  A CAPTCHA is a type of challenge-response system designed to differentiate humans from robotic computer programs.Continue Reading

• virus hoax

  A virus hoax is a false warning about a computer virus.Continue Reading

• Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML)

  Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) is an open standard for sharing security information about identity, authentication and authorization across different systems.Continue Reading

• cross-site scripting (XSS)

  Cross-site scripting (XSS) is a type of injection attack in which a threat actor inserts data, such as a malicious script, into content from otherwise trusted websites.Continue Reading

• cache poisoning

  Cache poisoning is a type of cyber attack in which attackers insert fake information into a domain name system (DNS) cache or web cache for the purpose of harming users.Continue Reading

• vulnerability disclosure

  Vulnerability disclosure is the practice of reporting security flaws in computer software or hardware.Continue Reading

• RSA algorithm (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman)

  The RSA algorithm (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman) is the basis of a cryptosystem -- a suite of cryptographic algorithms that are used for specific security services or purposes -- which enables public key encryption and is widely used to secure sensitive ...Continue Reading

• Report on Compliance (ROC)

  A Report on Compliance (ROC) is a form that must be completed by all Level 1 Visa merchants undergoing a PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) audit.Continue Reading

• What is multifactor authentication and how does it work?

  Multifactor authentication (MFA) is a security technology that requires more than one method of authentication from independent categories of credentials to verify a user's identity for a login or other transaction.Continue Reading

• shoulder surfing

  Shoulder surfing is using direct observation techniques, such as looking over someone's shoulder, to get information.Continue Reading

• adware

  Adware is any software application in which an advertising banner or other advertising material displays or downloads while a program is running.Continue Reading

• Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

  The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is the U.S. government agency that oversees the nation's securities industry.Continue Reading

• Digital Signature Standard (DSS)

  The Digital Signature Standard (DSS) is a digital signature algorithm (DSA) developed by the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) as a means of authentication for electronic documents.Continue Reading

• encryption key

  In cryptography, an encryption key is a variable value that is applied using an algorithm to a string or block of unencrypted text to produce encrypted text or to decrypt encrypted text.Continue Reading

• payload (computing)

  In computing, a payload is the carrying capacity of a packet or other transmission data unit.Continue Reading

• script kiddie

  Script kiddie is a derogative term that computer hackers coined to refer to immature, but often just as dangerous, exploiters of internet security weaknesses.Continue Reading

• cipher

  In cryptography, a cipher is an algorithm for encrypting and decrypting data.Continue Reading

• risk reporting

  Risk reporting is a method of identifying risks tied to or potentially impacting an organization's business processes.Continue Reading

• What is risk appetite?

  Risk appetite is the amount of risk an organization is willing to take in pursuit of objectives it deems have value.Continue Reading

• What is cybersecurity insurance (cybersecurity liability insurance)?

  Cybersecurity insurance, also called cyber liability insurance or cyber insurance, is a contract that an entity can purchase to help reduce the financial risks associated with doing business online.Continue Reading

• risk assessment

  Risk assessment is the identification of hazards that could negatively impact an organization's ability to conduct business.Continue Reading

• What is integrated risk management (IRM)?

  Integrated risk management (IRM) is a set of coordinated business practices and supporting software tools that contribute to an organization's ability to understand and manage risk holistically across all departments and third-party dependencies.Continue Reading

• operational risk

  Operational risk is the risk of losses caused by flawed or failed processes, policies, systems or events that disrupt business operations.Continue Reading

• chief risk officer (CRO)

  The chief risk officer (CRO) is the corporate executive tasked with assessing and mitigating significant competitive, regulatory and technological threats to an enterprise's capital and earnings.Continue Reading

• CISO as a service (vCISO, virtual CISO, fractional CISO)

  A CISO as a service (CISOaaS) is the outsourcing of CISO (chief information security officer) and information security leadership responsibilities to a third-party provider.Continue Reading

• cryptographic nonce

  A nonce is a random or semi-random number that is generated for a specific use.Continue Reading

• decompression bomb (zip bomb, zip of death attack)

  A decompression bomb -- also known as a zip bomb or zip of death attack -- is a malicious archive file containing a large amount of compressed data.Continue Reading

• intrusion detection system (IDS)

  An intrusion detection system (IDS) is a system that monitors network traffic for suspicious activity and alerts when such activity is discovered.Continue Reading

• virtual firewall

  A virtual firewall is a firewall device or service that provides network traffic filtering and monitoring for virtual machines (VMs) in a virtualized environment.Continue Reading

• SSL VPN (Secure Sockets Layer virtual private network)

  An SSL VPN is a type of virtual private network (VPN) that uses the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol -- or, more often, its successor, the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol -- in standard web browsers to provide secure, remote access VPN ...Continue Reading

• next-generation firewall (NGFW)

  A next-generation firewall (NGFW) is part of the third generation of firewall technology that can be implemented in hardware or software.Continue Reading

• CISO (chief information security officer)

  The CISO (chief information security officer) is a senior-level executive responsible for developing and implementing an information security program, which includes procedures and policies designed to protect enterprise communications, systems and ...Continue Reading

• advanced persistent threat (APT)

  An advanced persistent threat (APT) is a prolonged and targeted cyber attack in which an intruder gains access to a network and remains undetected for an extended period of time.Continue Reading

• DNS attack

  A DNS attack is an exploit in which an attacker takes advantage of vulnerabilities in the domain name system (DNS).Continue Reading

• Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)

  Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) is a certification and globally recognized standard for appraising an IT auditor's knowledge, expertise and skill in assessing vulnerabilities and instituting IT controls in an enterprise environment.Continue Reading

• keylogger (keystroke logger or system monitor)

  A keylogger, sometimes called a keystroke logger or keyboard capture, is a type of surveillance technology used to monitor and record each keystroke on a specific computer.Continue Reading

• cryptanalysis

  Cryptanalysis is the study of ciphertext, ciphers and cryptosystems with the aim of understanding how they work and finding and improving techniques for defeating or weakening them.Continue Reading

• Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)

  Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) is an advanced certification that indicates that an individual possesses the knowledge and experience required to develop and manage an enterprise information security (infosec) program.Continue Reading

• IP spoofing

  Internet Protocol (IP) spoofing is a type of malicious attack where the threat actor hides the true source of IP packets to make it difficult to know where they came from.Continue Reading

• How to use Ghidra for malware analysis, reverse-engineering

  The Ghidra malware analysis tool helps infosec beginners learn reverse-engineering quickly. Get help setting up a test environment and searching for malware indicators.Continue Reading

• Get started with the Ghidra reverse-engineering framework

  Malware analysts use Ghidra to examine code to better understand how it works. Learn what to expect from the reverse-engineering framework, how to start using it and more.Continue Reading

• 10 CIPP/US practice questions to test your privacy knowledge

  Advance your privacy career by becoming a Certified Information Privacy Professional. Use these 10 practice questions from Wiley's IAPP CIPP/US study guide to prepare for the exam.Continue Reading

• How to prepare for the CIPP/US exam

  The co-authors of a CIPP/US study guide offer advice on the IAPP certification, including career benefits, how to prepare and how the U.S. exam differs from other regions' exams.Continue Reading

• RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service)

  RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service) is a client-server protocol and software that enables remote access servers to communicate with a central server to authenticate dial-in users and authorize their access to the requested system or ...Continue Reading

• Secure Electronic Transaction (SET)

  Secure Electronic Transaction (SET) is a system and electronic protocol to ensure the integrity and security of transactions conducted over the internet.Continue Reading

• identity management (ID management)

  Identity management (ID management) is the organizational process for ensuring that individuals have the appropriate access to technology resources.Continue Reading

• one-time password (OTP)

  A one-time password (OTP) is an automatically generated numeric or alphanumeric string of characters that authenticates the user for a single transaction or login session.Continue Reading

• identity provider

  An identity provider (IdP) is a system component that provides an end user or internet-connected device with a single set of login credentials that ensures the entity is who or what it says it is across multiple platforms, applications and networks.Continue Reading

• remote access

  Remote access is the ability for an authorized person to access a computer or network from a geographical distance through a network connection.Continue Reading

• asymmetric cryptography (public key cryptography)

  Asymmetric cryptography, also known as public-key cryptography, is a process that uses a pair of related keys -- one public key and one private key -- to encrypt and decrypt a message and protect it from unauthorized access or use.Continue Reading

• cryptography

  Cryptography is a method of protecting information and communications through the use of codes, so that only those for whom the information is intended can read and process it.Continue Reading

• brute-force attack

  A brute-force attack is a trial-and-error method used by application programs to decode login information and encryption keys to use them to gain unauthorized access to systems.Continue Reading

• authentication

  Authentication is the process of determining whether someone or something is, in fact, who or what it says it is.Continue Reading

• Secure Shell (SSH)

  SSH, also known as Secure Shell or Secure Socket Shell, is a network protocol that gives users, particularly system administrators, a secure way to access a computer over an unsecured network.Continue Reading

• NIST Cybersecurity Framework

  The NIST Cybersecurity Framework (NIST CSF) is a policy framework surrounding IT infrastructure security.Continue Reading

• Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)

  The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is a symmetric block cipher chosen by the U.S. government to protect classified information.Continue Reading

• vulnerability assessment (vulnerability analysis)

  A vulnerability assessment is the process of defining, identifying, classifying and prioritizing vulnerabilities in computer systems, applications and network infrastructures.Continue Reading

• sandbox (software testing and security)

  A sandbox is an isolated testing environment that enables users to run programs or open files without affecting the application, system or platform on which they run.Continue Reading

• 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.Continue Reading

• digital certificate

  A digital certificate, also known as a public key certificate, is used to cryptographically link ownership of a public key with the entity that owns it.Continue Reading