Glossary of Cyber Security Terms

UDP Scan

A UDP scan is a method employed in cybersecurity to ascertain which User Datagram Protocol (UDP) ports are accessible on a specific host. It forms an essential component of network vulnerability assessments.

Unicast

Unicast refers to the communication method where data is sent from one host to another, in a one-to-one transmission. It's a common mode of data transfer in networking, especially when delivering unique information to a single receiver.

Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) & Uniform Resource Locator (URL)

A URI is a string of characters used to identify a name or a resource on the internet. URL, a subtype of URI, gives the specific location of a resource on the web and the protocol to retrieve it. For instance, 'https: www.example.com' is a URL that defines the use of HTTPs protocol to access the web page at 'www.example.com.'

Unix

Unix is a powerful, multi-user, and multitasking operating system initially developed in the 1970s at Bell Labs. It was conceived to be a minimalist, flexible system used predominantly by programmers. Today, Unix and its variants (including Linux) form the backbone of many corporate and academic network systems.

Unprotected Share

In the context of Windows operating systems, an 'Unprotected Share' refers to a file system or printer shared across a network, where anyone can connect without restrictions. This lack of protection can lead to security vulnerabilities if not properly managed.

User & User Contingency Plan

A 'User' in cybersecurity can be an individual, an organizational entity, or an automated process that accesses a system, whether authorized or not. A 'User Contingency Plan' is a strategic approach defining alternative methods of maintaining business operations in the event of IT system unavailability, enhancing organizational resilience.

User Datagram Protocol (UDP)

UDP is a core communications protocol used over IP networks. Unlike Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), UDP provides minimal error recovery services but offers a direct path to send and receive datagrams over an IP network. It's commonly used for broadcasting messages over a network where delivery speed is prioritized over error correction.