Glossary of Cyber Security Terms

Backdoor

A covert tool established after a system compromise that grants the attacker more straightforward access to the compromised system, skillfully bypassing conventional security measures.

Bandwidth

Describes the capacity of a data transfer channel within a given time span, usually quantified in bits per second (bps). It's a crucial determinant of network speed and performance.

Banner

A display of information offered to a remote user attempting service connectivity. This might disclose system details, version information, or warnings regarding usage authorization.

Basic Authentication

A rudimentary web-based authentication technique that transmits the username and password with each request, providing a layer of access security.

Bastion Host

A system that has undergone extensive fortification in anticipation of potential undiscovered vulnerabilities, acting as a stronghold within the network.

Business Continuity Plan (BCP)

A strategic plan outlining the emergency response, backup operations, and recovery measures post-disaster, ensuring resource availability and facilitating uninterrupted operations in an emergency situation.

Business Email Compromise (BEC)

A category of phishing attack wherein the attacker masquerades as a high-ranking executive, attempting to dupe an employee or customer into transferring funds or sensitive data.

Business Impact Analysis (BIA)

A process to ascertain tolerable system impact levels, aiding in risk management and recovery planning.

Berkeley Internet Name Domain (BIND)

Commonly known as BIND, this is a widely-used DNS implementation for resolving domain names to IP addresses.

Biometrics

A security approach that uses unique physical characteristics of users, such as fingerprints or iris patterns, for access determination.

Bit

The most fundamental unit of data storage, derived from "binary digit". It represents either "0" (zero) or "1" (one), forming the basis of digital data.

Black Hat

In cybersecurity jargon, a black hat symbolizes a hacker who breaches computer security for personal gain or with malicious intentions.

Block Cipher

An encryption method that processes data one block at a time, enhancing the security of data transmission and storage.

Blue Team

A group specialized in performing defensive cybersecurity operations. This includes configuring firewalls, deploying patch management, enforcing robust authentication, and maintaining stringent physical security measures.

Blockchain

A kind of distributed ledger technology designed to maintain a permanent and tamper-proof record of transactional data. It's popularly associated with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.

Boot Record Infector

A specific malware variant that implants malicious code into a disk's boot sector, posing a significant threat to system security.

Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)

A routing protocol for inter-autonomous systems used to exchange internet routing information, typically between Internet Service Providers (ISPs).

Botnet

A large collection of compromised computers harnessed for distributing spam or viruses, or flooding a network with messages in a Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack.

Bridge

A networking device connecting one Local Area Network (LAN) with another LAN using identical protocols like Ethernet or Token Ring.

Browser

A client-side application used to retrieve and display information from servers on the World Wide Web, instrumental in the modern internet experience.

Brute Force

A comprehensive, exhaustive attack or cryptanalysis method that sequentially tries all possibilities, often used in cracking passwords or encryption keys.

Bug

A term used in software development to describe an error, flaw, or fault that results in an incorrect or unexpected outcome or leads to unintended system behaviors.

Buffer Overflow

A situation arising when a process or program attempts to store excess data in a buffer (temporary data storage area) beyond its capacity. This can potentially overflow into neighboring buffers, corrupting or overwriting the valid data stored in them.

Broadcast

A simultaneous transmission of identical messages to multiple recipients, often from one host to all hosts on a network.

Broadcast Address

A special address used for broadcasting a datagram to all hosts on a specific network, typically using UDP or ICMP protocols.

British Standard 7799

An established standard offering guidance on securing an information system. It covers the management framework, objectives, and control requirements for implementing information security management systems.

Byte

A fundamental unit of computer storage and the smallest addressable unit in a computer's architecture. It usually represents eight bits and holds one character of information.

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

A policy enabling employees to bring personally owned devices (like laptops, tablets, smartphones) to their workplace and use these to access privileged company information and applications.