The A-Z dictionary of cybersecurity terms

Credit to Author: Rajib Singha| Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2018 11:30:50 +0000

Whether you are a normal user or a tech-guru, being aware of the computer security threats will help fortify your defense against them. So, here’s a handy A-Z dictionary of cybersecurity terms. Index A | B | C | D | E | F | I | K | L | M | P | R | S | T | U | V | W | Z A Adware Have you ever come across annoying pop-ups with shady or unwanted advertisements on your computer? Such pop-ups are displayed by software called adware. Autorun Worms These are malicious programs that run via external storage devices. These programs take advantage of the autorun feature of Windows, hence they are known as autorun worms. Advanced Persistent Threats Abbreviated as APTs, these threats are slow and persistent in their attacks. They infiltrate a targeted network and stay dormant, waiting for the right time to create havoc. Attack Vector An attack vector is the carrier or means via which a hacker attacks their targeted systems. It could be an infected email attachment, malicious link, pop-ups, etc. [Top] B Backdoor Also known as a trapdoor, a backdoor is used by an attacker to gain illegal access to a victim’s computer. Blended Attack A cyber attack that comprises multiple attack vectors and malware is known as a blended attack. Such attacks usually cause severe damage to targeted systems. Botnet Botnet refers to a network of compromised computers that are remotely controlled by a hacker. A botnet is used by a hacker to launch attacks against other targeted victims. Each computer in a botnet is known as a bot or zombie. Browser Hijacker If you find that your Internet browser’s settings have changed on its own, including your selected search engine and default homepage, then you have got a browser hijacker in your system. Brute Force Attack In a brute force attack hackers try to crack encrypted data (passwords) by trying all possible combinations of words or letters. [Top] C Clickjacking Clickjacking is a technique used by an attacker to inject malicious code in clickable content in websites. Clickjacking is usually done to record the victim’s clicks on the Internet or drop a malware infection on the system. Command and Control Servers Also called C&C servers, these are machines that an attacker use to communicate with a botnet and control the compromised computers in the network. Content Spoofing Content spoofing is carried out by an attacker to trick their victims into visiting a fraudulent site that looks like the real one. Cross Site Scripting (XSS) Also known as XSS attacks, cross site scripting is a technique used by hackers to plant a malicious code into a genuine website. This allows hackers to gather user’s information and use it for nefarious purpose. [Top] D Data Theft Illegal or unauthorized access to or acquisition of classified information or otherwise is termed as data theft. Denial of Service Attack (DoS) DoS attacks are targeted attacks against a service to make it inaccessible or unusable by its intended users. Web servers and websites are the common targets of DoS. Dictionary Attack In this kind of attack, the hacker tries to break into a password-protected system by trying every combination of word in a dictionary. Drive-by Download If visiting a website or viewing an HTML email automatically downloads a malicious file on your computer, it is known as drive-by download. [Top] E Email Spoofing Email spoofing is how an attacker crafts the header of a malicious email so that user is tricked into viewing it. This technique is typically used in phishing attacks. Email Virus A computer virus that is delivered to the victim via email is known as an email virus. Exploit In most cases, an exploit is defined as an attack where the hacker takes advantage of a security vulnerability in the victim’s machine. [Top] F Form Grabber Malware designed to record sensitive information that the targeted user provides in forms on the Internet. These malware particularly target the victim’s financial information. [Top] I Identity Theft A menace in the IT security world, identity theft occurs when an attacker gathers personal information and use it to impersonate their victim. This…
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