Cyber Lexicon

A

Adware

Adware operates behind the scenes, discreetly displaying or downloading ads, often without a user’s direct approval. Its primary mission is to boost its developer’s revenue by placing those ads front and center for the user.

B

Brute-Force Attack

Brute force is a hacking method, often automated, that systematically tries different credential combinations to gain unauthorized access to a system or account.

C

CEO Fraud

CEO fraud is a cyberattack method where cybercriminals impersonate CEOs or other business executives to trick employees into disclosing sensitive information or completing fraudulent transactions.

D

DDoS Attacks

Distributed Denial-of-Service attacks (DDoS) are a potent weapon in a hacker’s arsenal designed to disrupt normal business activity by flooding systems with unnecessary traffic, overwhelming servers and websites.

DORA

The Digital Operational Resilience Act is legislation introduced by the European Union whose purpose is to improve the cyber defenses of the financial sector. DORA sets clear operational standards to help businesses reduce digital disruptions and better protect themselves from cyberthreats.

Doxxing

Doxxing is a malicious online scheme that involves exposing private information about individuals or organizations in the digital arena, setting the stage for security breaches and relentless harassment.

H

Human Risk Management

HRM is a holistic approach to security that focuses on identifying, quantifying, actively managing, and ultimately reducing your human risk. An approach that prioritizes outcomes and behavioral drivers to foster a security culture where safe behavior becomes second nature.

M

Malware

Malware is a blanket term for any type of malicious software designed by cybercriminals to infiltrate a system. From viruses and worms to ransomware and trojans, malware can take many forms and have very diverse consequences on your devices.

Man-in-the-Middle Attack

In man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks, a malicious actor intercepts communication between two parties without their knowledge or consent, which allows the attacker to eavesdrop on the conversation, altering or stealing information exchanged between the two parties.

MFA Fatigue Attack

An MFA fatigue attack is a tactic where attackers flood a user with repeated multi-factor authentication requests, exploiting the user’s decreasing alertness due to exhaustion. This vulnerability is then used to breach an account or system.

Multi-Factor Authentication

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a security method in which users have to provide two or more forms of verification to access a system or account. It can rely on three different types of identifiers: something the user knows, something the user has, and something the user is.

N

NIS2

The Network and Information Security Directive is a piece of legislation that aims to set a common level of cyber security within Member States of the European Union. Its goal is to protect critical sectors by setting stricter cyber security standards, but it also focuses on rapid incident reporting and greater cooperation between EU members on cyber security.

P

Phishing

Phishing is a type of cybercrime in which attackers use different channels – often fraudulent emails – to deceive individuals into revealing sensitive information.

Phishing simulation

Phishing simulations are simulated phishing attacks that educate employees on recognizing and defending against email-based threats. They help improve employee awareness, identify vulnerabilities, and cultivate a resilient cyber security culture.

Pretexting

Pretexting is a social engineering technique where an attacker fabricates a scenario and assumes a false identity to manipulate individuals into divulging confidential information or performing actions that compromise security.

Q

Quid pro quo attacks

A quid pro quo attack is a deceptive tactic employed by cybercriminals to trick individuals into providing sensitive information, granting system access, or taking specific actions under the false pretense of receiving something beneficial in return.

Quishing

Quishing involves the use of manipulated or fake QR codes by hackers to carry out fraudulent activities, such as stealing personal information and spreading malware.

S

Shadow IT

Shadow IT represents the hidden side of cyber security where employees use software, hardware, or cloud services behind the scenes, without IT’s approval, inadvertently paving the way for cybercriminals.

Smishing

Smishing is a form of phishing where cybercriminals use text messages to lure recipients into disclosing sensitive information or downloading malware to their devices.

Social Engineering

Cybercriminals use social engineering techniques to manipulate their victims into disclosing sensitive information.

Spoofing

Spoofing is a deceptive practice where hackers mask their identity to emulate a trusted source as part of a fraudulent scheme. It can play out across different channels, from GPS and text messages to email, and relies on three pivotal elements: the appearance of a familiar user, the imitation of a trusted device, and the simulation of a safe location.

V

Vishing

With vishing, cybercriminals attempt to trick users into divulging sensitive information via a telephone call.

Voice cloning

Voice cloning is a deepfake deception where a cybercriminal uses AI to replicate, with high accuracy, the voice of someone the victim knows.

VPN

A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, acts as a digital cloak for your online presence. By encrypting your internet connection, it shields your data from potential snoopers and secures your online activities.