Glossary of Terms

Common IT and network security terminology explained

Authentication: The act of establishing or confirming the identification credentials of a person or system.
Availability: Ensures that information is accessible when and where it is needed.
Confidentiality: Ensures that information is not disclosed to anyone who is not authorized.
Encryption: The conversion of digital information into a format unreadable to anyone except those possessing a "key" through which the encrypted information is converted back into its original form (decryption), making it readable again.
Firewall: Software or hardware that, after checking information coming into a computer from the Internet or an external network, either blocks the transmission or allows it to pass through, depending on the pre-set firewall settings, preventing access by hackers and malicious software.
Integrity: Ensures that information is correct or accurate to the degree anticipated by those who use it. It also ensures that information has not been changed and has not been exposed to unauthorized modification.
Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS): Hardware or software product that gathers and analyzes information from various areas within a computer or a network to identify possible security breaches, which include both intrusions (attacks from outside the organization) and misuse (attacks from within the organization).
Intrusion Prevention System (IPS): Systems that can detect an intrusive activity and can also attempt to stop the activity, ideally before it reaches its targets.
IP Address: A unique identifier in the form of a numerical label assigned to each device, such as a personal computer or server, participating in a network, such as the Internet.
Local Area Network (LAN): A computer network that links devices within a building or group of adjacent buildings. A "local" network.
Malware: Short for malicious software. Software that disrupts or damages a computer's operation, gathers sensitive or private information, or gains access to private computer systems. Malware may include botnets, viruses, worms, Trojans, keyloggers, spyware, adware, and rootkits.
Multi Factor Authentication (MFA): Authentication which requires users to prove their identity by providing at least two pieces of evidence across three main categories: something you know, something you have, or something you are.
Network: A collection of computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources (hardware, data, and software) and information.
Patch: An update to an operating system, application, or other software issued specifically to correct particular problems with the software.
Penetration Testing: A test methodology in which assessors, typically working under specific constraints, attempt to circumvent or defeat the security features of an information system.
Phishing: Sending emails that attempt to fraudulently acquire personal information, such as usernames, passwords, social security numbers, and credit card numbers, by masquerading as a trustworthy entity.
Remote Access: Accessing systems housing information inside a party's computing environment directly from outside of that party's computing environment.
Security Incident: A breach or imminent breach of IT security defenses that may have a negative impact, including fraudulent activity, unauthorized disclosure, unauthorized modification, identified vulnerabilities and intrusions.
Server: A computer program or physical computer that services other computers over a local network or the Internet; network servers typically are configured with additional processing, memory, and storage capacity.
Spam: The use of electronic messaging systems to send unsolicited bulk messages (usually advertising or other irrelevant posts) to large lists of email addresses indiscriminately.
Spyware: A type of malware installed on computers that collects information about users without their knowledge; can collect Internet surfing habits, user logins and passwords, bank or credit account information, and other data entered into a computer.
USB Flash Drive: A data storage device that is typically removable (plugged into a USB port on a personal computer) and rewritable, and physically much smaller than a floppy disk.
Vulnerability: Weakness in an information system, system security procedures, internal controls, or implementation that could be exploited or triggered by a threat source.
Wi-Fi: Technology that allows an electronic device to exchange data wirelessly (using radio waves) over a computer network.

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