IT and security terms, in plain English.

#

• 3-2-1 backup ruleA widely used backup guideline: keep three copies of your data, on two different types of...

A

• Access controlThe rules and tools that decide who can see or use specific systems, files and locations...
• Active DirectoryMicrosoft's directory service that stores user accounts, computers and permissions for a...
• Advanced persistent threat (APT)A skilled, well-resourced attacker, often state-sponsored or organized crime, that...
• AdwareSoftware that displays unwanted advertisements on a device, often bundled with free...
• Air gapA security measure where a computer, network or backup is physically isolated from the...
• AntivirusSoftware that scans devices for known malicious programs and blocks or removes them...
• API (application programming interface)A defined way for one piece of software to request data or services from another...
• Attack surfaceThe total set of points where an attacker could try to get into or extract data from your...
• AuthenticationThe process of verifying that a person, device or system is who or what it claims to be...

B

• BackupA separate copy of data, systems or settings kept so they can be restored if the original...
• BotnetA network of compromised computers or internet-connected devices that are secretly...
• Brute-force attackAn attack in which someone tries large numbers of password or key combinations, often...
• Business continuity planA documented plan for keeping essential business operations running, or restoring them...
• Business email compromiseA scam in which criminals hijack or impersonate a business email account to trick staff...
• BYOD (bring your own device)A practice or policy that allows employees to use their personal phones, tablets or...

C

• CIS ControlsA prioritized set of cybersecurity best practices published by the Center for Internet...
• Cloud computingUsing computing services, such as storage, software, servers and email, delivered over...
• Conditional accessA security feature that grants, limits or blocks sign-ins based on conditions such as the...
• Credential stuffingAn attack that takes usernames and passwords leaked from one website and automatically...
• Cyber hygieneThe routine, everyday practices that keep systems and data healthy and secure, such as...
• Cyber insuranceAn insurance policy that helps cover the costs of cyber incidents, such as breach...
• Cybersecurity awareness trainingOngoing education that helps employees recognize and respond to threats such as phishing...

D

• Dark webA part of the internet that is not indexed by normal search engines and requires special...
• Data breachAn incident in which sensitive, confidential or personal information is accessed...
• Data loss prevention (DLP)Tools and policies that detect and stop sensitive information, such as credit card...
• DDoS attack (distributed denial of service)An attack that floods a website, server or network with so much traffic from many sources...
• Disaster recovery planA documented, tested process for restoring IT systems, applications and data after a...
• DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)An email authentication method that adds a digital signature to outgoing messages so...
• DMARCAn email security standard that tells receiving mail servers what to do with messages...
• DNS (Domain Name System)The internet's directory service that translates human-friendly names, such as...
• DNS filteringA security service that blocks access to known malicious or unwanted websites by checking...
• Domain controllerA server that runs Active Directory and handles sign-ins, security policies and...

E

• EDR (endpoint detection and response)Security software that continuously monitors computers and servers for suspicious...
• Email spoofingForging the sender details of an email so it appears to come from a trusted person...
• EncryptionThe process of scrambling data so that only people or systems holding the correct key can...
• End-of-life softwareSoftware or hardware that the manufacturer no longer supports with security updates...
• EndpointAny device that connects to your business network or data, such as a laptop, desktop...
• ExploitA piece of code or technique that takes advantage of a specific software or hardware...

F

• FirewallA security device or software that monitors network traffic and allows or blocks it...

G

• Group PolicyA Windows feature that lets administrators centrally configure and enforce settings, such...

H

• HashingA one-way mathematical process that converts data into a fixed-length string of...
• Health Information Act (HIA)Alberta's law governing how health information is collected, used, disclosed and...
• Help deskA service that gives employees a single point of contact for reporting IT problems...
• HoneypotA decoy system, account or file deliberately set up to attract attackers, so that any...

I

• Identity and access management (IAM)The policies and technologies used to manage digital identities and control which users...
• Immutable backupA backup copy that cannot be changed, encrypted or deleted for a set period, even by an...
• Incident response planA written plan that explains how your organization will detect, contain, investigate...
• Indicators of compromise (IOCs)Pieces of evidence, such as suspicious files, IP addresses, domains or unusual activity...
• Insider threatA security risk that comes from people inside the organization, such as employees...
• IoT (Internet of Things)Everyday physical devices connected to the internet, such as security cameras, smart...

K

• KeyloggerSoftware or hardware that secretly records keystrokes on a device, allowing an attacker...

L

• Lateral movementThe techniques attackers use after gaining an initial foothold to move from one...
• Least privilegeThe security principle of giving each user, application or system only the minimum access...
• Log managementCollecting, storing, protecting and reviewing the activity records that systems...

M

• MalwareShort for malicious software, malware is any program designed to damage systems, steal...
• Managed detection and response (MDR)MDR is a service in which an outside team of security analysts monitors your systems...
• Managed service provider (MSP)A managed service provider is an outside company that takes ongoing responsibility for...
• Microsoft 365Microsoft 365 is Microsoft's subscription bundle of cloud services, including Outlook...
• Mobile device management (MDM)Mobile device management is software that lets an organization configure, secure, monitor...
• Multi-factor authentication (MFA)Multi-factor authentication requires two or more separate types of proof, such as a...

N

• Network segmentationNetwork segmentation divides a computer network into separate zones so that devices in...
• Next-generation firewall (NGFW)A next-generation firewall is a network security device that goes beyond basic traffic...
• NIST Cybersecurity FrameworkThe NIST Cybersecurity Framework is a widely used, voluntary set of guidelines from the...

O

• OSI modelThe OSI model is a reference framework that describes network communication in seven...

P

• Password managerA password manager is an application that securely stores, generates and fills in...
• Patch managementPatch management is the ongoing process of finding, testing and installing software and...
• Penetration testingPenetration testing is an authorized, simulated attack in which skilled testers try to...
• PhishingPhishing is a type of fraud in which attackers send messages pretending to be a trusted...
• PIPA (Alberta Personal Information Protection Act)PIPA is Alberta's private-sector privacy law, setting rules for how businesses and many...
• PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act)PIPEDA is Canada's federal private-sector privacy law, governing how organizations handle...
• Privileged access management (PAM)Privileged access management is the set of tools and practices used to control, monitor...

R

• RansomwareRansomware is malicious software that encrypts or locks an organization's files and...
• Recovery point objective (RPO)The recovery point objective is the maximum amount of data, measured in time, that an...
• Recovery time objective (RTO)The recovery time objective is the maximum length of time a system or business process...
• Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)Remote Desktop Protocol is a Microsoft technology that lets a person connect to and...
• Remote monitoring and management (RMM)Remote monitoring and management is software IT providers use to watch the health of...
• Risk assessmentA risk assessment is a structured review that identifies what could go wrong with an...
• RootkitA rootkit is a type of malware designed to hide deep inside a computer's operating system...

S

• SandboxingSandboxing is a security technique that runs suspicious files, links or programs in an...
• Security awareness trainingSecurity awareness training teaches employees to recognize and respond to cyber threats...
• SIEM (Security information and event management)A SIEM is a system that collects and analyzes security logs from many sources, such as...
• Single sign-on (SSO)Single sign-on lets users access many applications with one set of secure credentials...
• SmishingSmishing is phishing carried out through text messages, using fake alerts, delivery...
• SOC (Security operations centre)A security operations centre is a team, supported by tools and processes, that...
• SOC 2SOC 2 is an independent audit report that assesses how a service provider protects...
• Social engineeringSocial engineering is the use of deception and psychological manipulation to trick people...
• SpamSpam is unsolicited bulk electronic messaging, usually email or text, sent for...
• Spear phishingSpear phishing is a targeted form of phishing in which attackers research a specific...
• SPF (Sender Policy Framework)SPF is an email authentication standard that publishes, in your domain's DNS records, a...
• SpoofingSpoofing is when an attacker disguises a communication or device to appear as if it comes...
• SpywareSpyware is malicious software that secretly monitors a user's activity and collects...
• SQL injectionSQL injection is an attack in which malicious commands are entered into a website or...
• Supply chain attackA supply chain attack targets an organization indirectly by compromising a trusted...

T

• Tabletop exerciseA tabletop exercise is a discussion-based practice session in which key staff walk...
• Threat intelligenceThreat intelligence is information about current and emerging cyber threats, including...
• TrojanA trojan is malware disguised as legitimate software or a harmless file, tricking users...
• Two-factor authentication (2FA)Two-factor authentication is a form of multi-factor authentication that requires exactly...

U

• Unified threat management (UTM)Unified threat management is an approach that combines several network security...
• UPS (Uninterruptible power supply)An uninterruptible power supply is a battery-backed device that keeps computers, servers...

V

• VishingVishing is voice phishing: fraudulent phone calls or voicemails in which attackers...
• VPN (Virtual private network)A virtual private network creates an encrypted connection over the internet between a...
• VulnerabilityA vulnerability is a weakness in software, hardware, configuration or processes that an...
• Vulnerability scanA vulnerability scan is an automated check of computers, servers, network devices or...

W

• WhalingWhaling is spear phishing aimed at senior leaders, such as owners and executives, or at...
• Wi-Fi security (WPA3)Wi-Fi security refers to the settings and standards that protect wireless networks from...
• WormA worm is a type of malware that spreads automatically from one computer to another...

X

• XDR (Extended detection and response)XDR is a security approach that combines and analyzes data from endpoints, email...

Z

• Zero trustZero trust is a security approach that assumes no user, device or network is...
• Zero-dayA zero-day is a software vulnerability that is unknown to the vendor or has no available...