Cyber Security Glossary

Find definitions for IT security and compliance in our online glossary of key terms, acronyms, and vocabulary.

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  • Term
    Definition
  • Definition: To convert enciphered text to plain text by means of a cryptographic system. Synonym(s): decode, decrypt
  • "A conclusion reached after consideration of business rules and relevant data within a given process."
  • "the cognitive process resulting in the selection of a belief or a course of action among several possible alternative options. It could be either rational or irrational. The decision-making process is a reasoning process based on assumptions of values, preferences and beliefs of the(...)
  • "A point within a business process where the process flow can take one of several alternative paths, including recursive."
  • ""
  • "a computer program application used to improve a company's decision-making capabilities. It analyzes large amounts of data and presents an organization with the best possible options available[; they] bring together data and knowledge from different areas and sources to provide users with(...)
  • "Tree‐structure resembling a flowchart, where every node represents a test to an attribute, each branch represents the possible outcomes of that test, and the leaves represent the class labels."
  • Definition: To convert encoded text to plain text by means of a code. Synonym(s): decipher, decrypt
  • "the total or partial removal of existing components and their corresponding sub-components from Production and any relevant environment, minimizing risks and impacts, ensuring policy compliance, and maximizing the financial benefits (i.e., optimizing the cost reduction)."
  • Definition: A generic term encompassing decode and decipher. Synonym(s): decipher, decode
  • Definition: The process of transforming ciphertext into its original plaintext. Extended Definition: The process of converting encrypted data back into its original form, so it can be understood.Synonym(s): decode, decrypt, decipher
  • "Insights, reporting, and information answering the question, "What would likely happen IF…?” Deductive analytics evaluates causes and outcomes of possible future events."
  • "A subset of machine learning that relies on neural networks with many layers of neurons. In so doing, deep learning employs statistics to spot underlying trends or data patterns and applies that knowledge to other layers of analysis. Some have labeled this as a way to “learn by example” and a(...)
  • "Digital images and audio that are artificially altered or manipulated by AI and/or deep learning often to make someone do or say something he or she did not actually do or say. Pictures or videos can be edited to put someone in a compromising position or to have someone make a controversial(...)
  • Deleted data is data that, in the past, existed on the computer as live data and which has been deleted by the computer system or end-user activity. Deleted data remains on storage media in whole or in part until it is overwritten by ongoing usage or “wiped” with a software program(...)
  • A file with disk space that has been designated as available for reuse. The deleted file remains intact until it has been overwritten with a new file. 
  • Deletion is the process whereby data is removed from active files and other data storage structures on computers and rendered inaccessible except using special data recovery tools designed to recover deleted data.
  • Definition: An attack that prevents or impairs the authorized use of information system resources or services.
  • "(denigrate) to attack the reputation of"
  • " ability to perform as and when required (note 1: includes availability, reliability, recoverability, maintainability, and maintenance support performance, and, in some cases, other characteristics such as durability, safety and security. Note 2: used as a collective term for the time-related(...)
  • "Phase of a project in which a system is put into operation and cutover issues are resolved"
  • "Insights, reporting, and information answering the question, “Why did something happen?” Descriptive analytics determines information useful to understanding the cause(s) of an event(s)."
  • Usually refers to an individual PC -- a user's desktop computer.
  • "modelling [that] produces consistent outcomes for a given set of inputs, regardless of how many times the model is recalculated. The mathematical characteristics are known in this case. None of them is random, and each problem has just one set of specified values as well as one answer or(...)
  • "An algorithm that, given the same inputs, always produces the same outputs."