Rootkit
A Rootkit is a hacking program or collection of programs that give a threat actor remote access to and control over a computing device. While there have been legitimate uses …
Threat Intelligence
Threat Intelligence (TI) is information about current attack tactics and techniques (T&T) used by hackers to breach companies, their networks, and their data. Threat Intelligence collects, compares, and summarizes T&T …
Threat Hunting
Threat Hunting is proactive hunting or searching through networks, endpoints, and datasets to find malicious, suspicious, or risky activity, patterns, or files that evaded existing detection tools. This is different …
International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR)
The International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) is United States regulation that controls the manufacture, sale, and distribution of defense and space-related products and services as defined in the United …
Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM)
Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) is the process of identifying, assessing, and controlling risks presented throughout the lifecycle of your relationships with third parties. This oftentimes starts during procurement and extends …
BYOD
BYOD, also known as Bring Your Own Device, is a common practice of allowing employee-owned devices to connect to business networks. Smartphones are the most common example, but employees also …
Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)
The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) is Canada’s main government privacy law. Compliance with PIPEDA is essential for private sector businesses operating in Canada. Violation of PIPEDA can …
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was passed in the European Union (EU) in 2016 and requires all businesses to protect an updated definition of personal and private data of EU …
Data Sanitization
Data Sanitization is the process of permanently and irreversibly destroying data on a storage device in a deliberate manner, often for compliance or cybersecurity purposes. After data sanitization, a storage …
Deep Learning
Deep Learning is a type of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) that mimics the way people gain certain forms of knowledge. It’s extremely beneficial to data scientists who are tasked …
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to human-like intelligence presented by a computer, robot, or other machines. AI mimics human learning by building iterative learning capabilities into a computer. AI machines learn …
Hadoop
Hadoop is a software platform that makes it possible for users to manage large amounts of data. Hadoop processes extensive amounts of structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data. Some examples of data …
User Behavior Analytics (UBA)
User Behavior Analytics (UBA) is the tracking, collecting, and assessment of user data and activities using monitoring systems. UBA examine archived data from network and authentication logs collected and stored …
Blockchain
Blockchain is a digital record of transactions. The name comes from its structure where specific records called blocks are linked together in a single list, called a chain. Blockchains are used …
RFC 1918
RFC 1918, also known as Request for Comment 1918, is the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) record on methods of assigning private IP addresses on TCP/IP networks. RFC 1918 outlines the usable private …
Bogon
A Bogon is an IP address (IPv4 or IPv6) that has yet to be officially assigned for use by the Internet Assigned Number Authority (IANA). As such they are unassigned …
Non-Fungible Token (NFT)
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) are unique, easily verifiable digital assets that can represent items such as GIFs, images, videos, music albums, and more. Anything that exists online can be purchased as an …
Geotagging
Geotagging adds geographical information to media through the use of metadata. Geotagging data often includes latitude and longitude coordinates, but may also include altitude, distance, and physical location names. Geotagging …
Jailbreaking
Jailbreaking is the exploiting of manufacturer or carrier operating systems, often by removing restrictions from a device like an iPhone. The exploit usually involves running a privilege escalation attack on …
Mean Time to Failure (MTTF)
Mean Time to Failure (MTTF) and sometimes references as Mean Time For Failure (MTFF) is the length of time a device or software is expected to last in operation. MTTF …
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) is a strategy of limiting network access based on the roles of individual users within a business. RBAC lets employees have access rights only to the …
Leakware
Leakware, also known as Doxware, is a new more potent, and dangerous form of ransomware. When a ransomware Attack containing Leakware occurs, the attacker threatens to publicize personal data (confidentiality …
Packet
A Packet is the unit of data that is routed between an origin and a destination on the Internet or any other packet-switched network. TCP packets, passed over TCP/IP networks …
Ping of Death (PoD)
A Ping of Death (PoD) is a type of Denial of Service (DoS) attack that deliberately sends IP packets larger than the 65,536 bytes allowed by the IP protocol. One of …
Synthetic Transaction Monitoring (STM)
Synthetic Transaction Monitoring (STM), also known as Synthetic Monitoring, is a web monitoring tool similar to Real User Monitoring (RUM), but Instead of collecting real user data, it simulates it. …
Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE)
Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) is a list of computer security flaws ranked on critical measures to aid individuals and companies with assessing the risk posed by the vulnerability or exposure …
Real User Monitoring (RUM)
Real User Monitoring (RUM) is a form of performance monitoring that captures and analyzes user activity and transacations on a website or application. It’s also known as real user measurement, …
Container
Before we get into what a container is, we need you to understand the difference between today’s term ‘Container’ and the previous term CyberHoot published ‘Hypervisor‘. Knowing the difference between …
Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) is an attack vector where hackers inject malicious code into a vulnerable web application. XSS differs from other web attack vectors in that it does not directly …
Hypervisor
A Hypervisor, also known as a Virtual Machine Monitor or VMM, is software that creates and manages virtual machines (VMs). A hypervisor allows a computer to maintain many guest VMs …
Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)
Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF), also known as XSRF, is an attack method that fools a web browser into performing unwanted actions in a user application. Similar to Phishing Attacks, CSRFs …
PCI-DSS
PCI-DSS (Payment Card Industry-Data Security Standard) is a set of requirements intended to ensure that all companies that process, store, or transmit credit card information manage it safely and in …
Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)
The IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) is the organization that defines standard Internet operating protocols such as TCP/IP. The IETF is a community of network designers, operators, vendors, and researchers concerned with …
Read-Only Memory (ROM)
Read-Only Memory (ROM) is storage technology that permanently stores data in a chip built into computers and other electronic devices. ROM includes the most basic programming needed to start a …
Domain Name System (DNS)
A Domain Name System (DNS) is essentially the ‘phonebook’ of the Internet. DNS is an elaborate, fault-tolerant way of connecting people to resources online. While it is quite complex, this …
Sender Policy Framework (SPF)
Sender Policy Framework (SPF) is an anti-spam tool where email domains of the senders can be authenticated. SPF works hand-in-hand with DKIM and DMARC to help authenticate email messages to …
DKIM
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) is an email authentication tool that verifies messages are sent from a legitimate user’s email address. It’s designed to prevent email forgery and spoofing; essentially phishing. …
DMARC
DMARC which stands for Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance is an email security protocol. When enabled, your email domain is protected from spoofing by hackers. DMARC sets up an …
Non-Public Personal Information (NPPI)
Non-Public Personal Information (NPPI) is personal and private information that’s provided by a consumer to some entity for their use. This information includes the following examples: Name, address, income, social …
Anti-Censorship
Anti-Censorship are methods to combat censorship – for example, preventing search results from being blocked or interfered with. The growth of online platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) raises important questions …
Graphical User Interface (GUI)
A Graphical User Interface (GUI), often pronounced ‘gooey’, is a user interface that includes graphical elements, such as windows, icons, and buttons. The term was created in the 1970s to distinguish graphical interfaces from text-based …
Solid State Drive (SSD)
A Solid State Drive (SSD) is a type of storage device that supports reading and writing data and stores the data in a permanent state even without a power source …
Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
A Hard Disk Drive (HDD), also known as a hard drive, is a computer storage device holding magnetic disks or platters spinning at high speeds. It’s the only long-term storage …
RAM Disk
A RAM Disk is Random Access Memory (RAM) that has been adjusted to simulate a disk drive. You can access data on a RAM disk as you’d access data on a ‘hard disk’ (hard drive). RAM …
Polymorphic Virus
A Polymorphic Virus is a type of ‘shape-shifting’ virus, producing malicious code that is able to replicate itself with new signatures but identical payloads over and over again. These viruses …
Apple Wireless Direct Link (AWDL)
Apple Wireless Direct Link (AWDL) is a low latency/high-speed Wi-Fi peer-to peer-connection Apple uses everywhere you’d expect them to: AirDrop, GameKit (which also uses Bluetooth), AirPlay, and conceivably with future …
Clickbait
Clickbait is Internet content that uses overemphasized or misleading headlines to lure a person into clicking a link. Once the link is clicked, it brings the user to another website …
Biometrics
Biometrics identification refers to computer-based data that identifies a person based on unique physical characteristics and traits, including your face, fingerprints, voice, and even retinas (eye scans). Biometric identifiers (something …
Parasitic Virus
A Parasitic Virus, also known as a file virus, is spread by attaching itself to executable programs. When a program infected with a parasitic virus is opened, the virus code …
Boot Sector Virus
A Boot Sector Virus is a virus that infects the ‘boot sector’ of floppy disks or the ‘Master Boot Record’ (MBR) of hard disks (some infect the boot sector of …
