Cybersecurity_Terminologies A cheatsheet for cybersecurity terminologies
Cybersecurity Terminology & Abbreviations Cheatsheet
A comprehensive reference guide for common cybersecurity terms, abbreviations, and their meanings.
🔐 Access Control & Authentication
Term
Full Form
Description
AAA Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting
Framework for controlling access to resources and tracking user activities
ACL Access Control List
Rules that define who can access specific resources and what actions they can perform
IAM Identity and Access Management
Systems and policies for managing digital identities and access permissions
MFA Multi-Factor Authentication
Security process requiring two or more verification methods to access an account
2FA Two-Factor Authentication
Subset of MFA using exactly two verification methods
SSO Single Sign-On
Authentication scheme allowing users to log in once to access multiple applications
RBAC Role-Based Access Control
Access control method that assigns permissions based on user roles
PAM Privileged Access Management
Security strategy for controlling and monitoring privileged account access
Term
Full Form
Description
VPN Virtual Private Network
Encrypted connection over the internet from a device to a network
IDS Intrusion Detection System
Monitors network traffic for suspicious activity and alerts administrators
IPS Intrusion Prevention System
Monitors network traffic and actively blocks detected threats
DMZ Demilitarized Zone
Physical or logical subnetwork that separates an internal network from untrusted networks
VLAN Virtual Local Area Network
Logical subdivision of a network that groups devices regardless of physical location
NAC Network Access Control
Security solution that enforces policies on devices attempting to access the network
DNS Domain Name System
Translates domain names to IP addresses, often targeted in cyberattacks
DDoS Distributed Denial of Service
Attack that overwhelms a system with traffic from multiple sources
DoS Denial of Service
Attack that makes a service unavailable by overwhelming it with traffic
🔒 Encryption & Cryptography
Term
Full Form
Description
TLS Transport Layer Security
Cryptographic protocol for secure communication over networks (successor to SSL)
SSL Secure Sockets Layer
Older cryptographic protocol for secure communication (largely replaced by TLS)
AES Advanced Encryption Standard
Symmetric encryption algorithm widely used for securing data
RSA Rivest-Shamir-Adleman
Public-key cryptography algorithm used for secure data transmission
PKI Public Key Infrastructure
Framework for managing digital certificates and public-key encryption
HSM Hardware Security Module
Physical device that manages and stores cryptographic keys securely
IPsec Internet Protocol Security
Protocol suite for securing IP communications through authentication and encryption
PGP Pretty Good Privacy
Encryption program for signing, encrypting, and decrypting data
Term
Full Form
Description
APT Advanced Persistent Threat
Prolonged, targeted cyberattack where attackers gain and maintain unauthorized access
RAT Remote Access Trojan
Malware that allows attackers to remotely control infected systems
XSS Cross-Site Scripting
Vulnerability that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages
SQLi SQL Injection
Attack that inserts malicious SQL code into application queries
CSRF Cross-Site Request Forgery
Attack that forces users to execute unwanted actions on authenticated web applications
RCE Remote Code Execution
Vulnerability allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code on a remote system
MITM Man-in-the-Middle
Attack where attackers intercept communication between two parties
C2 / C&C Command and Control
Infrastructure used by attackers to communicate with compromised systems
BEC Business Email Compromise
Scam targeting businesses through fraudulent email requests
Ransomware —
Malicious software that encrypts data and demands payment for decryption
Phishing —
Fraudulent attempts to obtain sensitive information by disguising as trustworthy entities
Spear Phishing —
Targeted phishing attack directed at specific individuals or organizations
Whaling —
Phishing attack targeting high-profile executives
Term
Full Form
Description
SOC Security Operations Center
Centralized unit that monitors, detects, and responds to security incidents
SIEM Security Information and Event Management
Platform that aggregates and analyzes security data from across an organization
SOAR Security Orchestration, Automation and Response
Platform that automates security operations and incident response workflows
EDR Endpoint Detection and Response
Security solution that monitors endpoints for threats and responds to incidents
XDR Extended Detection and Response
Security solution that integrates multiple security products for unified threat detection
UEBA User and Entity Behavior Analytics
Technology that uses machine learning to detect anomalous user behavior
TI / CTI Threat Intelligence / Cyber Threat Intelligence
Information about threats used to prepare, prevent, and identify attacks
IOC Indicator of Compromise
Evidence that a system has been breached or infected
TTP Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures
Patterns of activities used by threat actors
IR Incident Response
Organized approach to addressing and managing security breaches or attacks
📜 Compliance & Frameworks
Term
Full Form
Description
NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology
Develops cybersecurity standards and guidelines
ISO 27001 —
International standard for information security management systems
PCI DSS Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard
Security standard for organizations handling credit card information
HIPAA Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
US law protecting sensitive patient health information
GDPR General Data Protection Regulation
EU regulation on data protection and privacy
CCPA California Consumer Privacy Act
California law enhancing privacy rights for California residents
SOX Sarbanes-Oxley Act
US law mandating financial record-keeping and reporting requirements
FISMA Federal Information Security Management Act
US law requiring federal agencies to secure information systems
CIS Center for Internet Security
Nonprofit providing cybersecurity best practices and benchmarks
MITRE ATT&CK —
Framework documenting adversary tactics and techniques based on real observations
🔍 Vulnerability Management
Term
Full Form
Description
CVE Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures
Dictionary of publicly disclosed cybersecurity vulnerabilities
CVSS Common Vulnerability Scoring System
Standard for assessing the severity of security vulnerabilities
NVD National Vulnerability Database
US government repository of vulnerability management data
Pen Test Penetration Testing
Authorized simulated cyberattack to evaluate system security
VA Vulnerability Assessment
Process of identifying, quantifying, and prioritizing vulnerabilities
POC Proof of Concept
Demonstration that a vulnerability can be exploited
Zero-Day —
Vulnerability unknown to vendors and without available patches
Patch Management —
Process of managing and applying software updates to fix vulnerabilities
Term
Full Form
Description
WAF Web Application Firewall
Protects web applications by filtering and monitoring HTTP traffic
NGFW Next-Generation Firewall
Advanced firewall with additional features like deep packet inspection
DLP Data Loss Prevention
Strategy and tools to prevent sensitive data from leaving the organization
CASB Cloud Access Security Broker
Security policy enforcement point between cloud service consumers and providers
ZTNA Zero Trust Network Access
Security model requiring verification for every user and device
SWG Secure Web Gateway
Security solution that filters unwanted content from web traffic
SASE Secure Access Service Edge
Cloud-based architecture combining network and security functions
Sandboxing —
Security mechanism for running untrusted code in isolated environments
Term
Description
CIA Triad Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability - Core principles of information security
Defense in Depth Layered security approach using multiple defensive measures
Least Privilege Security principle of providing minimum access necessary
Security Posture Overall cybersecurity strength of an organization
Attack Surface Total sum of vulnerabilities that can be exploited
Threat Actor Individual or group responsible for malicious cyber activity
Lateral Movement Technique attackers use to move through a network after initial compromise
Exfiltration Unauthorized transfer of data from a system
Persistence Techniques used by attackers to maintain access to compromised systems
Hash Fixed-size string generated from data using a mathematical function, used for integrity verification
Salt Random data added to passwords before hashing to strengthen security
Honeypot Decoy system designed to attract and detect attackers
Red Team Group that simulates attacks to test security defenses
Blue Team Group that defends against attacks and strengthens security
Purple Team Collaborative approach combining red and blue team activities
Contributions are welcome! If you'd like to add more terms or improve existing definitions:
Fork the repository
Create a feature branch (git checkout -b add-new-terms)
Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add new cybersecurity terms')
Push to the branch (git push origin add-new-terms)
Open a Pull Request
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.
Note: This cheatsheet covers fundamental cybersecurity terminology. The field evolves rapidly, so staying current with new terms and concepts is essential.
Last Updated: November 2025
