Access control

Processes and rules that control physical access to a facility and also access to information systems. Access control is a crucial component of Information Security, which cannot exist without specific controls placed on who can and cannot perform certain operations on a company's data.

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Audit Log

In case of needed system recovery, changes to data and records are stored in an audit log. Most commercial systems include a feature or set of features that enable this activity, which introduces some system overhead, but also helps hedge against failure or downtime. These also help with compliance auditing and reporting in many cases.

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Audit Trail

Information that identifies activities completed by a computer system and verifies authenticity of any changes, including timestamps and information on which user(s) made and/or authorized such changes.

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Authentication

Biometric Access Controls

Systems which use physical characteristics (e.g. voice, fingerprints, eye/retina scan) to authenticate users.

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Bot

(a.k.a. Robot) Programs designed to complete automated tasks on the Internet. Typical tasks include searching/monitoring for specific content/keywords, indexing, and acting as agents/avatars. Bots can be malicious (e.g. a spam-bot) or useful (e.g. a search engine webcrawler).

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Certification Authority

Third-party clearing house who issues Digital Certificates and Signatures.

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Cipher

A way to encrypt data (generic term), or sometimes used to refer to the encrypted text itself. Encryption ciphers use a complex mathematical algorithm to "scramble" messages, and they generate a key that can be used to later decrypt that data by an authorized party.

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Cracker

Codeset that aims to "crack" a code, perhaps a password or other encryption method, in order to access data or systems that should otherwise be locked down.

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Cyber Crime

Any criminal activity which uses digital/network-based means to achieve the intended malfeasance.

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Cyberwar

Using technical means to target information or information systems in a planned attack. Cyberterrorism and Cyberwar are very similar terms.

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Data Encryption

A method to mask or scramble data so that only the holder of the encryption key can decode that data and view/access it.

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Decryption

The process by which encrypted data can be decoded using the encryption key.

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Denial of Service (DoS) Attack

Internet attack on a website that prevents that website from delivering the expected/promised level of service or access to that digital property.

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Digital Certificate

A certification of authenticity and trust used online, primarily for ecommerce companies to ensure it is safe to do business directly with them.

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DMZ (De-Militarized Zone)

A piece of an organization's network that is kept separate in order to enable different levels of secure access to various parts of said network. For example, different DMZs may be set up for the company website, extranet, intranet, VPN, etc.

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Hacker

An individual who is adept at breaking (a.k.a. "hacking") into networks and computer systems. White Hat Hackers are typically security personnel who practice hacking for the purposes of identifying vulnerabilities or weaknesses in a network's security. Black Hat Hackers are focused on hacking into systems for malicious intent.

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Information Asset

A piece of information stored somewhere on a private network that has value to the organization owning it, and that the organization wants/needs to protect.

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Information Security incident

An event that is very likely to be a breach of a company's Information Security rules, processes, or policy. Once confirmed, it is a Security Breach.

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Information Security Policy (Security Policy)

A document that is officially approved as company policy, which outlines the organization's stance on what is required to ensure the required level of security for the company. These documents typically include standards for behavior, data handling, IT systems, and any other topic that is needed to ensure the highest possible level of security and compliance with any regulations that the company should enforce.

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Information Security Risk Assessment

Effort to place value on information and technology assets, to identify any threats against those assets, to determine the likelihood that such threats will occur, and to anticipate the expected impact of such transgressions. This exercise is most frequently undertaken as a starting point for establishing an official Security Policy.

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Lockout

Countermeasure used to block unauthorized access to a network after an attempted or successful break in has occurred.

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Logical Security

Software-based security solutions that are deployed to prevent intrusions, unauthorized access, etc.

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Malicious Code

Any software code that is designed specifically to incite an undesireable and unexpected event on a computer or system.

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Mirroring

Copying a stream of data to send to a second destination for purposes of backup/failover or out-of-band monitoring. This is typically done in a switch via a SPAN or through the use of an inline Tap.

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Pen-Testing (Penetration Testing)

Internal process whereby security personnel test the perimeter defense of a network for potential entry points, intended to identify and plan against intrusion or unauthorized entry into a system.

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Privilege

Level of permission or access a user has within a given system, network, or software application.

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Proxy Server

Server that acts on behalf of client PCs for accessing external websites and delivering information from those websites to clients.

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Security Administrator

Individuals who are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the security infrastructure, and who are responsible for enforcing the established company security policy.

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Security Breach

A security incident that has been confirmed to be a malicious and unwanted event on a network.

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Smurf Attack

A very technical attack that exploits features of the IP protocol (within TCP/IP) used for communications over the internet.

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Sniffer

A hardware or software product that captures and analyzes data packets as they traverse the network.

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Social Engineering

Similar to phishing, except this technique tends to be a verbal breach of data privacy, whereby an impersonator claims to need a key piece of personal data (e.g. a password) and is able to extract that information using persuasion and lies.

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SPAN

Switched Port Analyzer

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Spoofing

Intercepting, changing, and forwarding data to the intended recipient in an effort to trick them. Also used to refer to identity hacking.

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Stealth Bomb

Malicious code that has been set up to look like something else. Often used as email attachments claiming to be important information.

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Tap

Test Access Point

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Three Strikes

The practice of setting up authentication systems to lock out an account after three failed attempts to login.

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Time Bomb

Malicious code that is scheduled to wreak some sort of unwanted havoc at a predetermined time or date in the future.

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Virtual Private Network (VPN)

A network that emulates a private network but is delivered via "the cloud".

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