Glossary of Cyber Security Terms

Octet

An octet, a member of the binary world, is a sequence of eight bits, synonymous with an eight-bit byte. It's the fundamental unit of data in network communications and the Internet Protocol.

One-Way Encryption

One-way encryption is like a vault that only locks from the outside. It's an irreversible transformation of plaintext into cipher text, meaning the original message cannot be retrieved from the encrypted version without exhaustive procedures, even if you have the cryptographic key.

One-Way Function

Imagine a Rubik's Cube, easy to scramble but hard to solve. That's a one-way function, a mathematical function that's simple to compute from a given input, but nearly impossible to reverse-engineer the input from the output without brute force.

Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)

OSPF is the cartographer of the network world. As a link-state routing algorithm, it maps all routers within an autonomous system, along with the links, costs, and states between them, enabling efficient internal gateway routing.

OSI Model

The OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) Model is the rulebook for network communication. It defines a standard procedure for how messages should travel between any two points in a telecommunication network.

OSI Layers

The OSI model neatly categorizes network communication into seven layers, each handling a specific aspect of data transmission. The lower three layers deal with message transmission through a host computer, while the upper four layers come into play when a message passes to or from a user.

Overload

In tech terms, an overload is akin to a traffic jam. It hampers system operation by placing excessive demands on the performance capabilities of a system component.

OpenID

OpenID is the digital equivalent of a universal key, an open standard and decentralized authentication protocol that allows users to be authenticated across multiple sites using a third-party service.

Out-of-Band

Out-of-Band communication is like having a back-channel conversation. It refers to auxiliary communications that take place outside of a previously established communication method or channel, often used for network management.

OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project)

OWASP is the Neighborhood Watch of the software world. This non-profit organization is dedicated to boosting software security by providing tools, best practices, and community support to developers and security professionals.