Course wrap-up; Glossary Cybersecurity Course 3

 

Glossary: Terms and definitions from Course 3

A

Active packet sniffing: A type of attack where data packets are manipulated in transit
Address Resolution Protocol (ARP): Used to determine the MAC address of the next
router or device to traverse

B

Bandwidth: The maximum data transmission capacity over a network, measured by
bits per second
Baseline configuration: A documented set of specifications within a system that is
used as a basis for future builds, releases, and updates
Bluetooth: Used for wireless communication with nearby physical devices
Botnet: A collection of computers infected by malware that are under the control of a
single threat actor, known as the “bot herder"

C

Cloud-based firewalls: Software firewalls that are hosted by the cloud service
provider
Cloud computing: The practice of using remote servers, application, and network
services that are hosted on the internet instead of on local physical devices

Cloud network: A collection of servers or computers that stores resources and data in
remote data centers that can be accessed via the internet
Controlled zone: A subnet that protects the internal network from the uncontrolled
zone

D

Data packet: A basic unit of information that travels from one device to another within
a network
Denial of service (DoS) attack: An attack that targets a network or server and floods
it with network traffic
Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack: A type of denial or service attack that
uses multiple devices or servers located in different locations to flood the target
network with unwanted traffic
Domain Name System (DNS): A networking protocol that translates internet domain
names into IP addresses

E

Encapsulation: A process performed by a VPN service that protects your data by
wrapping sensitive data in other data packets

F

File Transfer Protocol (FTP): Used to transfer files from one device to another over a
network
Firewall: A network security device that monitors traffic to or from your network
Forward proxy server: A server that regulates and restricts a person’s access to the
internet

H

Hardware: The physical components of a computer

Hub: A network device that broadcasts information to every device on the network
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP): An application layer protocol that provides a
method of communication between clients and website servers
Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS): A network protocol that provides a
secure method of communication between clients and servers

I

Identity and access management (IAM): A collection of processes and technologies
that helps organizations manage digital identities in their environment
IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi): A set of standards that define communication for wireless LANs
Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP): An internet protocol used by devices to
tell each other about data transmission errors across the network
Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) flood: A type of DoS attack performed by
an attacker repeatedly sending ICMP request packets to a network server
Internet Protocol (IP): A set of standards used for routing and addressing data
packets as they travel between devices on a network
Internet Protocol (IP) address: A unique string of characters that identifies the
location of a device on the internet
IP spoofing: A network attack performed when an attacker changes the source IP of a
data packet to impersonate an authorized system and gain access to a network

L

Local area network (LAN): A network that spans small areas like an office building, a
school, or a home

M

Media Access Control (MAC) address: A unique alphanumeric identifier that is
assigned to each physical device on a network

Modem: A device that connects your router to the internet and brings internet access
to the LAN
Multi-factor authentication (MFA): A security measure that requires a user to verify
their identity in two or more ways to access a system or network

N

Network: A group of connected devices
Network log analysis: The process of examining network logs to identify events of
interest
Network protocols: A set of rules used by two or more devices on a network to
describe the order of delivery of data and the structure of data
Network segmentation: A security technique that divides the network into segments

O

Operating system (OS): The interface between computer hardware and the user
Open systems interconnection (OSI) model: A standardized concept that describes
the seven layers computers use to communicate and send data over the network
On-path attack: An attack where a malicious actor places themselves in the middle of
an authorized connection and intercepts or alters the data in transit

P

Packet sniffing: The practice of capturing and inspecting data packets across a
network
Passive packet sniffing: A type of attack where a malicious actor connects to a
network hub and looks at all traffic on the network
Patch update: A software and operating system update that addresses security
vulnerabilities within a program or product

Penetration testing: A simulated attack that helps identify vulnerabilities in systems,
networks, websites, applications, and processes
Ping of death: A type of DoS attack caused when a hacker pings a system by sending
it an oversized ICMP packet that is bigger than 64KB
Port: A software-based location that organizes the sending and receiving of data
between devices on a network
Port filtering: A firewall function that blocks or allows certain port numbers to limit
unwanted communication
Proxy server: A server that fulfills the requests of its clients by forwarding them to
other servers

R

Replay attack: A network attack performed when a malicious actor intercepts a data
packet in transit and delays it or repeats it at another time
Reverse proxy server: A server that regulates and restricts the Internet's access to an
internal server
Router: A network device that connects multiple networks together

S

Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP): A secure protocol used to transfer files from
one device to another over a network
Secure shell (SSH): A security protocol used to create a shell with a remote system
Security hardening: The process of strengthening a system to reduce its
vulnerabilities and attack surface
Security information and event management (SIEM): An application that collects
and analyzes log data to monitors critical activities for an organization
Security zone: A segment of a company’s network that protects the internal network
from the internet

Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP): A network protocol used for
monitoring and managing devices on a network
Smurf attack: A network attack performed when an attacker sniffs an authorized
user’s IP address and floods it with ICMP packets
Speed: The rate at which a device sends and receives data, measured by bits per
second
Stateful: A class of firewall that keeps track of information passing through it and
proactively filters out threats
Stateless: A class of firewall that operates based on predefined rules and that does
not keep track of information from data packets
Subnetting: The subdivision of a network into logical groups called subnets
Switch: A device that makes connections between specific devices on a network by
sending and receiving data between them
Synchronize (SYN) flood attack: A type of DoS attack that simulates a TCP/IP
connection and floods a server with SYN packets

T

TCP/IP model: A framework used to visualize how data is organized and transmitted
across a network
Transmission Control Protocol (TCP): An internet communication protocol that
allows two devices to form a connection and stream data
Transmission control protocol (TCP) 3-way handshake: A three-step process used
to establish an authenticated connection between two devices on a network

U

Uncontrolled zone: The portion of the network outside the organization
User Datagram Protocol (UDP): A connectionless protocol that does not establish a
connection between devices before transmissions

V

Virtual Private Network (VPN): A network security service that changes your public
IP address and masks your virtual location so that you can keep your data private when
you are using a public network like the internet

W

Wide Area Network (WAN): A network that spans a large geographic area like a city,
state, or country
Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA): A wireless security protocol for devices to connect to
the internet