Refer to This Helpful Glossary Of Terms When Shopping For Cybersecurity Services
You don’t have to be tech savvy to have a broad understanding of what cybersecurity is and why your company needs it. However, when you consult with cybersecurity companies about how they safeguard your data and digital assets, it can feel like they’re speaking a foreign language.
The jargon and acronyms that IT professionals use may be new to you. If you don’t understand basic cybersecurity terms, the value of cybersecurity services may get lost in translation.
Keep reading to learn what cybersecurity is and the most common terminology IT professionals use.
What Is Cybersecurity and Why Are Cybersecurity Services Important?
Cybersecurity refers to protecting systems, networks, and data from digital attacks. These attacks take many forms, including malware, phishing, ransomware, and more. Further complicating the matter, cyberattacks continually evolve in complexity and sophistication.
Cybersecurity services proactively monitor and defend against cyberattacks. As businesses increase their dependence on technology, cybersecurity companies have surged in popularity – and necessity – as an expert resource to oversee IT networks.
Cybersecurity services can be packaged and scaled to suit the business’s needs and budget, making this solution accessible to operations of all sizes.
For businesses, strong cybersecurity measures:
Safeguard sensitive data, such as customer information, financial records, and proprietary business information against unauthorized access.
Maintain business continuity by preventing disruptions that affect daily operations and profitability.
Demonstrate to customers and partners that you takes data protection seriously.
Ensure your company adheres to industry-specific cybersecurity laws and standards to avoid penalties.
Common Cybersecurity Terms to Know
Understanding basic cybersecurity terminology is the first step in building a strong defense against potential threats. Let’s review 20 of the most common terms that cybersecurity companies use.
Malware
Malware is short for “malicious software.” This term refers to any software designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to systems. Malware examples include viruses, worms, and trojans.
Ransomware
Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts a victim’s data and demands payment to restore access. These attacks are notoriously expensive, costing companies millions of dollars to resolve.
Social Engineering
Social engineering is an umbrella term that describes malicious activities carried out through human interaction. Instead of directly hacking into systems, cybercriminals use tactics like phishing emails, fake phone calls, or deceptive messages to exploit trust, fear, or urgency. Cybercriminals who use this tactic typically want access to critical resources or sensitive personal information, such as bank records, social security numbers, and personal addresses.
Phishing
Phishing is the most common social engineering tactic, with more than three billion phishing emails sent daily. During a phishing attack, cybercriminals impersonate a legitimate source – typically, a friend, family member, or co-worker – to trick people into revealing sensitive information, such as passwords or credit card numbers.
Antivirus Software
Antivirus software is a common cybersecurity service that detects, prevents, and removes malware from computers and IT networks.
Firewall
A firewall is a security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules. It acts as a barrier between trusted internal network activity and untrustworthy external activity, such as unauthorized users who try to gain access to networks and systems.
Encryption
Encryption is the process of converting data into a code to prevent unauthorized access. Only authorized parties with a decryption key can read the data.
Virtual Private Network (VPN)
A virtual private network is a cybersecurity service that encrypts internet connections and masks your IP address to ensure privacy and security while working online.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Two-factor authentication is a cybersecurity practice that requires users to verify their identity through two methods, such as a password and a unique code sent to their phone.
Multi-Factor Authentication
Multi-factor authentication is an even more enhanced security method than 2FA, requiring multiple forms of verification to access accounts or systems. For example, a server requiring multi-factor authentication may require a password, smartphone authentication, and fingerprint to access it.
Data Breach
A data breach describes an event where sensitive, protected, or confidential data is accessed, destroyed, or shared without authorization. Many companies invest in both backup and data recovery cybersecurity services to protect against significant data loss.
Patch Management
Patch management is the process of updating software to fix vulnerabilities and improve security. Organizations with lots of computers typically outsource this task to cybersecurity companies to ensure it’s done correctly and in a timely fashion.
Zero-Day Exploit
A zero-day exploit is a cyberattack that occurs before developers can discover and patch a software vulnerability.
Endpoint Security
Endpoints are the devices that connect to an IT network, such as laptops, smartphones, and desktops. Endpoint security safeguards endpoints against cyberattacks, viruses, and other threats. With more people working remotely, endpoint security has become one of the most popular and essential cybersecurity services.
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)
A DDoS attack is when cybercriminals flood a network, server, or website with malicious traffic, causing IT resources to fail and preventing access to legitimate users. DDoS attacks are especially dangerous to companies that rely on ecommerce as their primary revenue stream.
Penetration Testing
Penetration testing simulates cyberattacks to evaluate network security and identify vulnerabilities. Managed IT service providers often use this tactic to gauge which cybersecurity services organizations need.
Insider Threat
An insider threat is a security risk that comes from within the organization, such as employees or contractors with access to sensitive data. A big benefit of working with cybersecurity companies is they can limit who has access to parts of the IT network containing sensitive information.
Security Operations Center
A security operations center is a centralized cybersecurity team that monitors, detects, and responds to cybersecurity incidents within an organization.
Threat Intelligence
Threat intelligence refers to the collection and analysis of information about potential or existing cyberthreats to help prevent attacks.
Cloud Security
The cloud refers to remote servers that people can access over the Internet. Cloud security protects the cloud’s data, applications, and infrastructure. Cloud support has gained in popularity as more organizations convert to off-site servers and cloud computing.
Shop Cybersecurity Companies With Confidence
Now that you’re up to speed on the most common cybersecurity terms, your conversations with managed IT service providers will be far more productive. Even if you’re a small start-up with only a few employees, it’s important to have basic cybersecurity services in place.
