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The cybersecurity world is full of jargon and jargon . At TechCrunch , we have beenwriting about cybersecurity for year , and we frequently use proficient terms and grammatical construction to draw the nature of what is happening in the world . That ’s why we have created this glossary , which include some of the most common — and not so vulgar — Scripture and expressions that we use in our articles , and explanations of how , and why , we use them .
This is a developing compendium , and we will update it regularly . If you have any feedback or suggestions for this glossary , get in touch .
Advanced persistent threat (APT)
An innovative persistent threat ( APT ) is often categorise as ahacker , or group of cyberpunk , which gains and keep unauthorized accession to a targeted system . The main objective of an APT intruder is to remain undetected for longsighted point of metre , often to conduct espionage and surveillance , to steal data , or sabotage decisive systems .
APTs are traditionally well - resourced hackers , include the support to pay for their malicious campaign , and access to hack tool typically reserved by governance . As such , many of the long - running APT groups are associated with nation states , like China , Iran , North Korea , and Russia . In recent days , we ’ve look representative of non - nation commonwealth cybercriminal radical that are financially motivated ( such as theft and money laundering ) carrying out cyberattacks similar in terms of persistence and capabilities as some traditional politics - game APT group .
( See : cyberpunk )
Adversary-in-the-middle attack
An adversary - in - the - halfway ( AitM ) attack , traditionally known as a “ human race - in - the - center ” ( MitM ) , is where someone intercepts electronic internet traffic at a especial point on the meshwork in an attempt to listen in or modify the datum as it travels the internet . This is why encrypting data makes it more hard for malicious actor to read or understand a person ’s connection traffic , which could contain personal entropy or secrets , like passwords . Adversary - in - the - middle attacks can be used licitly by surety researchers to help sympathise what data become in and out of an app or web service , a process that can helpidentify security bugs and data exposure .
Arbitrary code execution
The ability to run commands or malicious code on an affected system of rules , often because of a security vulnerability in the system ’s software . Arbitrary code carrying out can be reach either remotely or with physical accession to an stirred system ( such as someone ’s machine ) . In the cases where arbitrary code murder can be attain over the internet , security researchers typically call this distant code execution .
Often , code execution is used as a way to plant a back door for exert long - term and persistent approach to that system , or for be given malware that can be used to get at deeper parts of the organization or other devices on the same web .
( See also : Remote code execution )
Attribution
ascription is the process of finding out and identifying who is behind a cyberattack . There is an often repeated mantra , “ ascription is surd , ” which is to discourage cybersecurity professional and the wider world that definitively establishing who was behind a cyberattack is no childlike task . While it is not impossible to attribute , the reply is also dependent on the level of confidence in the assessment .
Threat intelligence activity company such as CrowdStrike , Kaspersky , and Mandiant , among others , have for years attributed cyberattacks and data breaches to groups or “ clusters ” of hacker , often cite groups by a specific codename , based on a design of certain tactic , techniques and procedures as see in old attacks . Some terror intelligence house go as far as publicly linking sure radical of hackers to specific governments or their intelligence authority when the grounds direct to it .
government activity agencies , however , have for years in public accused other government and nation of being behind cyberattacks , and have function as far as identifying — and sometimes criminally tear — specific people act upon for those agency .
Backdoor
A back door is a subjective full term , but broadly refers to creating the means to gain future access code to a system , machine , or physical country . Backdoors can be come up in software or hardware , such as a mechanism to gain access to a system ( or blank space ) in case of inadvertent ignition lock - out , or for remotely providing technical reenforcement over the internet . Backdoors can have legitimate and helpful utilization case , but backdoors can also be undocumented , maliciously plant , or otherwise unknown to the user or owner , which can step down the surety of the production and make it more susceptible to hacking or compromise .
TechCrunch has adeeper dive on encryption backdoors .
Black/white hat
hack historically have been categorized as either “ black hat ” or “ white hat , ” unremarkably bet on the motivations of the hacking action carry out . A “ black chapeau ” hacker may be someone who might break away the law and cut for money or personal gain , such as a cybercriminal . “ White hat ” drudge generally hack within legal spring , like as part of a penetration tryout sanctioned by the object company , or to take in bug bounties finding flaw in various software and disclosing them to the touched seller . For those who cut with less clearcut motivating , they may be regarded as a “ gray chapeau . ” splendidly , the hack on group the L0pht used the term gray hatin an consultation with The New York Times Magazinein 1999 . While still commonly used in innovative certificate idiom , many have go away from the “ lid ” nomenclature .
( Also see : Hacker , Hacktivist )
Botnet
Botnets are networks of hijacked internet - connected machine , such as webcams and home routers , that have been compromise by malware ( or sometimes infirm or default password ) for the design of being used in cyberattacks . Botnets can be made up of hundreds or thousands of equipment and are typically controlled by a command - and - control server that sends out command to trap equipment . Botnets can be used for a range of malicious reason , like using the lot web of devices to block out andshield the net dealings of cybercriminals , deliver malware , or harness their collective bandwidth to maliciously break apart website and online services with immense amount of junk internet traffic .
( See also : Command - and - control server;Distributed denial - of - service )
Brute force
A beastly - force attack is a common and rudimentary method of whoop into accounts or organisation by automatically trying different combinations and permutations of letters and words to guess watchword . A less advanced brute - force attack is one that uses a “ dictionary , ” mean a inclination of known and unwashed password , for example . A well designed organisation should prevent these type of attacks by limiting the number of login attempts inside a specific timeframe , a answer phone pace - limiting .
Bug
A hemipteran is basically the cause of a software bug , such as an error or a job that causes the software to barge in or act in an unexpected way . In some cases , a bug can also be a security vulnerability .
The term “ glitch ” arise in 1947 , at a clock time when former computers were the size of it of rooms and made up of profound mechanical and moving equipment . The first know incident of a bug found in a computer was when a mothdisrupted the electronicsof one of these elbow room - sized computers .
( See also : exposure )
Command-and-control (C2) server
dictation - and - restraint servers ( also known as C2 servers ) are used by cybercriminals to remotely manage and contain their fleet of compromised devices and launch cyberattacks , such as delivering malware over the internet and launching diffuse denial - of - inspection and repair blast .
( See also : Botnet;Distributed disaffirmation - of - service )
This is a word that can have two substance depending on the context . Traditionally , in the linguistic context of computer science and cybersecurity , crypto is forgetful for “ cryptography , ” the mathematical field of coding and decipher message and data point usingencryption .
Crypto has more lately also become myopic for cryptocurrency , such as Bitcoin , Ethereum , and the unnumberable blockchain - based decentralized digital currency that have spring up in the last fifteen year . As cryptocurrencies have mature from a niche community to a whole industry , crypto is now also used to refer to that whole diligence and biotic community .
For years , the steganography and cybersecurity communityhave wrestled with the acceptation of this new meaning , locomote as far as making the phrases “ crypto is not cryptocurrency ” and “ crypto think of cryptography ” into something that featureson its own dedicated websiteand evenT - shirts .
Languages change over time depending on how masses apply Logos . As such , TechCrunch accepts the reality where crypto has dissimilar meaning depending on context , and where the context is n’t clear , then we import out cryptography , or cryptocurrency .
Cryptojacking
Cryptojacking is when a equipment ’s computational world power is used , with or without the proprietor ’s license , to generatecryptocurrency . Developers sometimes bunch up code in apps and on websites , which then apply the gimmick ’s processors to fill out complex numerical computing postulate to create new cryptocurrency . The generated cryptocurrency is then deposit in virtual wallet owned by the developer .
Some malicious cyberpunk use malware to on purpose compromise large numbers of unwitting computers to bring forth cryptocurrency on a big and spread scurf .
Dark and deep web
The world wide web is the public content that flows across the pipes of the internet , much of what is on-line today is for anyone to get at at any sentence . The “ deep entanglement , ” however , is the content that is kept behind paywalls and fellow member - only space , or any part of the web that is not readily accessible or browsable with a search locomotive . Then there is the “ dark WWW , ” which is the part of the internet thatallows users to rest anonymousbut postulate certain computer software ( such as the Tor web browser ) to entree , look on the part of the sour web you ’re endeavor to access .
Anonymity benefits those who live and work inhighly censoredor surveilled countries , but it also can benefit crook . There is nothing inherently felonious or nefarious about accessing the glowering web;many popular websitesalso offer dark World Wide Web adaptation so that users around the populace can access their content . TechCrunch has a moredetailed explainer on what the dark vane is .
Data breach
When we blab about data breach , we at long last intend the improper removal of data from where it should have been . Butthe circumstance matterand can castrate the nomenclature we use to describe a particular incident .
A data breach is when protected data was confirmed to have improperly left a system from where it was to begin with store and unremarkably confirmed when someone discovers the compromise data . More often than not , we ’re referring to the exfiltration of data point by a malicious cyberattacker or otherwise discover as a solution of an accidental pic . Depending on what is have a go at it about the incident , we may describe it in more specific terms where detail are known .
( See also : data point exposure;Data outflow )
Data exposure
A data exposure ( a eccentric of data severance ) is when protected datum is stored on a scheme that has no access controls , such as because of human error or a misconfiguration . This might let in cases where a system or database is connected to the net but without a countersign . Just because data was exposed does n’t think of the data was actively discovered , but nevertheless could still be considered a data breach .
Data leak
A information leak ( a type of data rupture ) is where protected datum is stored on a organisation in a style that it was allowed to escape , such as due to a antecedently unknown vulnerability in the system or by way of insider access ( such as an employee ) . A datum news leak can mean that information could have been exfiltrated or otherwise collect , but there may not always be the technical agency , such as logarithm , to make out for sure .
Deepfake
Deepfakes are AI - generatedvideos , audios , orpicturesdesigned to look real , often with the goal of frivol away people into thinking they are actual . Deepfakes are developed with a specific case of machine con known asdeep learning , hence its name . Examples of deepfakes can roll from relatively harmless , like a telecasting of a celebrity say something risible or outrageous , to more harmful efforts . In recent years , there have been documented cases ofdeepfaked political contentdesigned to discredit politicians and influence voter , while other malicious deepfakes have relied on usingrecordings of executivesdesigned to play a trick on company employees into gift up raw information or sending money to gouger . Deepfakes are also lead to the proliferation ofnonconsensual sexual image .
Def Con (aka DEFCON)
Def Conis one of the most important hacking group discussion in the world , held each year in Las Vegas , usually during August . Launched in 1993 as a company for some cyber-terrorist Friend , it has now become an yearly assemblage of almost 30,000 hackers and cybersecurity professionals , with dozens of talk of the town , seizure - the - flagstone hacking competition , and themed “ villages , ” where attendees can learn how to hack internet - connected devices , ballot systems , and even aircraft . Unlike other group discussion like RSA or Black Hat , Def Con is decidedly not a business group discussion , and the focus is much more on hacker culture . There is a vendor area , but it usually let in not-for-profit like the Electronic Frontier Foundation , The Calyx Institute , and the Tor Project , as well as relatively small cybersecurity company .
Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS)
A distribute denial - of - Robert William Service , or DDoS , is akind of cyberattackthat involves flooding target on the internet with rubble web dealings so as to overload and crash the server and cause the service , such as a website , on-line store , or gambling weapons platform to go down .
DDoS attacks are launched by botnets , which are made up of meshing of hack net - connected devices ( such as place routers and webcams ) that can be remotely controlled by a malicious operator , commonly from a command - and - control server . Botnets can be made up of hundreds or thousands of hijacked devices .
While a DDoS is a form of cyberattack , these information - implosion therapy attacks are not “ hacks ” in themselves , as they do n’t regard the falling out and exfiltration of data from their fair game , but instead cause a “ denial of divine service ” event to the affected serve .
( See also : Botnet;Command - and - controller server )
Encryption
encoding is the way and means in which data , such as files , text file , and private messages , are scrambled to make the data point unreadable to anyone other than to its intended owner or recipient role . Encrypted data point is typically scramble using an encoding algorithm — basically a set of numerical formulas that determines howthe data should be encrypted — along with a private key , such as a countersign , which can be used to unscramble ( or “ decrypt ” ) the protected data point .
Nearly all innovative encoding algorithms in employment today are candid generator , allow anyone ( including security professionals and cryptographers ) to review and contain the algorithm to verify it ’s free of faults or flaw . Some encryption algorithms are substantial than others , think of data point protected by some weak algorithms can be decrypted by harnessing large amount of computational power .
Encryption is different from encoding , which simply converts data into a different and standardized format , usually for the benefit of allowing computers to interpret the data .
( See also : End - to - end encryption )
End-to-end encryption (E2EE)
terminal - to - terminal encryption ( or E2EE ) is a security system feature of speech build into many electronic messaging and file - share apps , and is wide considered one of the strongest ways of assure digital communications as they get across the internet .
E2EE scrambles the file or subject matter on the sender ’s machine before it ’s institutionalize in a mode that allows only the intended recipient role to decode its message , making it almost - impossible for anyone — admit a malicious hacker , or even the app maker — to snoop inside on someone ’s private communications . In recent year , E2EE has become the default security standard for many electronic messaging apps , includingApple ’s iMessage , Facebook Messenger , Signal , andWhatsApp .
E2EE has also become thesubject of governmental frustrationin late years , as encoding makes it impossible for tech society or app supplier to give over selective information that they themselves do not have admittance to .
( See also : Encryption )
Escalation of privileges
Most modern system are protected with multiple layers of security department , including the ability to define substance abuser accounts with more restricted access to the underlie system ’s form and configurations . This prevents these users — or anyone with unlawful access to one of these user accounts — from tampering with the center underlie system . However , an “ escalation of privileges ” upshot can necessitate overwork a bug or tricking the system into granting the user more entree right than they should have .
Malware can also take advantage of bug or flaws induce by escalation of privileges by gaining deeper access to a gadget or a connected web , potentially allowing the malware to spread .
Espionage
When we talk about espionage , we ’re mostly referring to scourge groups or hack campaign that are dedicate to undercover work , and are typically characterized by their stealth . Espionage - related jade are commonly aim at gaining and maintaining sneak persistent access to a target ’s web to carry out passive surveillance , reconnaissance mission for future cyberattacks , or the long - term collection and exfiltration of datum . Espionage procedure are often carried out by governments and intelligence agency agencies , though not exclusively .
Exploit
An exploit is the way and means in which a vulnerability is abused or taken advantage of , usually so as to break into a system .
( See also : Bug;Vulnerability )
Extortion
In ecumenical terms , extortion is the enactment of obtaining something , usually money , through the use of force and determent . Cyber extortion is no unlike , as it typically bear on to a category of cybercrime whereby aggressor involve defrayal from dupe by jeopardize to damage , disrupt , or expose their sensible information .
Extortion is often used in ransomware attacks , where hacker typically exfiltrate company information before demanding a ransom payment from the hacked victim . But extortion has quickly become its own category of cybercrime , with many , often untested , financially motivated hackers , choose to carry out extortion - only attack , which snub the consumption of encryption in favor of simple data thieving .
( Also see : Ransomware )
Forensics
Forensic investigations involve take apart data and information contained in a computer , waiter , or mobile gimmick , looking for evidence of a hack , crime , or some form of malfeasance . Sometimes , in club to get at the data , incorporated or law enforcement investigators trust on specialized devices and tool , like those made byCellebriteandGrayshift , which are designed to unlock and violate the security of computers and cellphones to get at the data within .
Hacker
There is no one single definition of “ hacker . ” The condition has its own rich history , finish , and meaning within the surety residential district . Some wrongly flux hacker , or hacking , with actus reus .
By our definition and employment , we loosely refer to a “ hacker ” as someone who is a “ breaker of things , ” commonly by change how something work to make it do differently in orderliness to meet their objective . In practice , that can be something as dim-witted as renovate a machine with non - official parts to make it function other than as intend , or work out even well .
In the cybersecurity sentiency , a hacker is typically someone who breaks a system or break the security of a system . That could be anything from an cyberspace - connected figurer system to a unsubdivided door lock . But the mortal ’s intentions and motivations ( if known ) matter in our reporting , and take how we accurately describe the person , or their natural action .
There are honourable and legal differences between a hacker who work as a security measure research worker , who is professionally task with give way into a company ’s scheme with their permission to name protection weaknesses that can be fixed before a malicious somebody has a chance to exploit them ; and a malicious cyber-terrorist who gainsunauthorizedaccess to a system and steals data point without obtaining anyone ’s permission .
Because the terminal figure “ hacker ” is inherently electroneutral , we generally apply form in our coverage to provide linguistic context about who we ’re spill the beans about . If we know that an individual works for a authorities and is shrink to maliciously slip data from a rival authorities , we ’re likely to describe them as a state - commonwealth or government hacker(or , if appropriate , anadvanced persistent threat ) , for exercise . If a work party is sleep together to use malware to slip funds from individuals ’ bank report , we may describe them as financially motivated hackers , or if there is evidence of criminalness or illegality ( such as an bill of indictment ) , we may describe them simply as cybercriminals .
And , if we do n’t experience motivation or intentions , or a individual describes themselves as such , we may simply touch on to a subject neutrally as a “ hacker , ” where appropriate .
( Also see : modern persistent threat;Hacktivist;Unauthorized )
Hack-and-leak operation
Sometimes , hack and steal data is only the first footstep . In some case , hackers then leak out the stolen datum to journalist , or immediately post the data point online for anyone to see . The goal can be either to embarrass the hacking dupe , or to let on allege malfeasance .
The stemma of modernistic cab - and - escape operations date back to the early- and mid-2000s , when groups likeel8,pHC(“Phrack High Council ” ) andzf0were targeting multitude in the cybersecurity industry who , according to these groups , had give up the hacker ethos and had sold out . afterwards , there are the examples of hackers assort with Anonymous and leaking datum fromU.S. authorities contractile organ HBGary , and North Korean hackersleaking email slip from Sonyas retribution for the Hollywood comedy , The Interview .
Some of the most late and illustrious examples arethe hack against the now - defunct government spyware pioneer Hacking Teamin 2015 , and the ill-famed Russian government - ledhack - and - passing water of Democratic National Committee emailsahead of the 2016 U.S. presidential elections . Iranian government hackerstried to emulate the 2016 playbookduring the 2024 election .
Hacktivist
A particular kind of drudge who hack for what they — and perhaps the public — perceive as a good lawsuit , hence the portmanteau of the speech “ hacker ” and “ activist . ” Hacktivism has been around for more than two decades , start perhaps with groups like theCult of the Dead Cowin the late nineties . Since then , there have been several gamey profile example of hacktivist hackers and chemical group , such as Anonymous , LulzSec , and Phineas Fisher .
( Also see : Hacker )
Infosec
unforesightful for “ information security , ” an alternate term used to describe defensive cybersecurity concentrate on the protection of data and selective information . “ Infosec ” may be the preferent term for industry veterans , while the term “ cybersecurity ” has become widely accepted . In advanced times , the two price have become mostly interchangeable .
Infostealers
Infostealers aremalwarecapable of stealing information from a soul ’s computer or machine . Infostealers are often bundled in pirate software , like Redline , which when install will mainly assay out passwords and other credentials store in the person ’s web browser or password manager , then sneakily upload the victim ’s word to the attacker ’s systems . This lets the attacker sign in using those steal word . Some infostealers are also capable of stealing session souvenir from a user ’s internet browser , which allow the attacker to signalize in to a mortal ’s online account as if they were that user but without need their watchword ormulti - gene authenticationcode .
( See also : Malware )
Jailbreak
Jailbreaking is used in several contexts to mean the use of exploit and other hacking proficiency to circumvent the security of a gadget , or bump off the restriction a manufacturer set on ironware or software . In the context of use of iPhones , for example , a jailbreak isa proficiency to remove Apple ’s restrictionson installing apps outside of its “ walled garden ” or to gain the ability toconduct security inquiry on Apple devices , which is commonly highly restricted . In the setting of AI , jailbreaking means compute out a mode to get a chatbot togive out entropy that it ’s not supposed to .
Kernel
The kernel , as its name paint a picture , is the core part of an operating system that connects and restraint virtually all ironware and software . As such , the kernel has the highest tier of privilege , meaning it has access to virtually any data point on the twist . That ’s why , for model , apps such as antivirus and anti - cheat software system run at the pith layer , as they take broad admission to the machine . Having kernel memory access allows these apps to monitor for malicious code .
Malware
Malware is a all-encompassing umbrella term that describes malicious software . Malware can down in many forms and be used to exploit system in unlike ways . As such , malware that is used for specific purposes can often be consult to as its own subcategory . For example , the eccentric of malware used for conduct surveillance on people ’s machine is also called “ spyware , ” while malware that encrypts files and demands money from its victims is called “ ransomware . ”
( See also : Infostealers;Ransomware;Spyware )
Metadata
Metadata is informationaboutsomething digital , rather than its contents . That can include inside information about the sizing of a file or document , who created it , and when , or in the suit of digital photograph , where the image was taken and data about the gadget that take the exposure . Metadata may not identify the contents of a file cabinet , but it can be utilitarian in determining where a document came from or who authored it . Metadata can also refer to information about an exchange , such as who made a call or send a text subject matter , but not the contents of the call or the subject matter .
Multi-factor authentication
Multi - factor authentication ( MFA ) is the common umbrella term for describing when a soul must provide a second piece of information , away from a username and password , to log into a system . MFA ( ortwo - factor ; also known as 2FA ) can prevent malicious hackers from re - using a person ’s stolen credentials by requiring a time - sensitive computer code mail to or generated from a registered machine owned by the story holder , or the enjoyment of a forcible token or key .
Operational security (OPSEC)
Operational security system , or OPSEC for short , is the practice of keeping information cloak-and-dagger in various situations . practise OPSEC means thinking about what information you are trying to protect , from whom , and how you ’re going to protect it . OPSEC is less about what tools you are using , and more about how you are using them and for what purpose .
For example , politics officials discussingplans to bomb strange countries on Signalare apply tough OPSEC because the app is not project for that purpose - case , and runs on machine that are more vulnerable to hacker than extremely restricted organization specifically designed for military communication . On the other hand , journalist using Signalto talk to sensitive origin is generally good OPSEC because it makes it harder for those communications to be bug by eavesdroppers .
( See also : Threat modelling )
Penetration testing
Also know as “ penitentiary - examination , ” this is the procedure where security investigator “ stress - test ” the security of a ware , internet , or organisation , usually by attempting to modify the direction that the intersection typically operates . Software makers may ask for a pen - test on a Cartesian product , or of their intimate connection , to ensure that they are barren from serious or critical security vulnerabilities , though a pen - test does not warrant that a product will be completely hemipteran - free .
Phishing
Phishing is a type of cyberattack where hackers play a joke on their targets into clicking or knock on a malicious link , or open up a malicious attachment . The terminus deduct from “ fishing , ” because hackers often apply “ lures ” to convincingly play tricks their aim in these types of attacks . A phishing come-on could be attachment coming from an email savoir-faire that seem to be legitimate , or even an electronic mail spoof the email address of a person that the target really knows . Sometimes , the bait could be something that might appear to be important to the target , like sending a forged document to a journalist that appears to show putridness , or a bogus group discussion invite for human rightfulness defenders . There isan often refer adageby the well - know cybersecurity influencer The Grugq , which capsule the value of phishing : “ Give a humanity an0dayand he ’ll have access for a day , learn a homo to phish and he ’ll have admission for life . ”
( Also see : Social technology )
Ransomware
Ransomware is a type of malicious software program ( ormalware ) that prevents machine proprietor from access its information , typically by write in code the person ’s files . Ransomware is usually deployed by cybercriminal work party who demand a ransom requital — usually cryptocurrency — in retort for provide the private key to decrypt the mortal ’s data point .
In some case , ransomware gangs will steal the victim ’s datum before encrypting it , allowing the criminals to rack the victim further by threatening to release the files online . Paying a ransomware gangis no guaranteethat the victim will get their stolen data back , or that the pack will delete the stolen data .
One of the first - ever ransomware attacks wasdocumented in 1989 , in which malware was distributed via floppy phonograph record ( an early physique of obliterable computer memory ) to attendees of the World Health Organization ’s AIDS conference . Since then , ransomware has evolved intoa multibillion - dollar criminal industryas assailant refine their tactics and hone in on big - name corporate victims .
( See also : Malware;Sanctions )
Remote code execution
Remote code execution of instrument refers to the power to run statement or malicious code ( such as malware ) on a organization from over a web , often the cyberspace , without requiring any human interaction from the target . Remote codification execution plan of attack can range in complexness but can be extremely damaging when vulnerability are exploited .
( See also : Arbitrary code execution )
Sanctions
Cybersecurity - relatedsanctionswork similarly to traditional sanctions in that they make it illegal for line of work or soul to transact with a canonic entity . In the pillowcase of cyber sanction , these entities are mistrust of carry out malicious cyber - enable activities , such as ransomware attack or the laundering of ransom payments made to hackers .
The U.S. Treasury ’s Office of Foreign Assets Control ( OFAC ) administers warrant . The Treasury ’s Cyber - Related Sanctions Program was established in 2015 as part of the Obama administration ’s reply to cyberattacks direct U.S. regime agencies and private sector U.S. entities .
While a comparatively new add-on to the U.S. government activity ’s bureaucratic armoury against ransomware group , sanction are progressively used to hamper and deter malicious state actors from conduct cyberattacks . countenance are often used against hackers who are out of reach of U.S. bill of indictment or arrest warrants , such as ransomware gang based in Russia .
Sandbox
A sandpit is a part of a arrangement that is isolated from the residuum . The goal is to create a protect surround where a hacker can compromise the sandbox , but without allowing further admission to the rest of the organisation . For example , mobile diligence usually run in their own sandboxes . If hackers compromise a internet browser , for object lesson , they can not immediately compromise the operating system or another app on the same gimmick .
security measures researchers also use sandboxes in both physical and virtual environments ( such as a virtual machine ) to analyze malicious code without risking compromise their own computers or networks .
SIM swap
SIM swapping is a character of attack where hackershijack and take controlof a person ’s earphone turn , often with the goal of then using the phone telephone number to log into the target ’s tender accounts , such as their email address , cant account , or cryptocurrency pocketbook . This tone-beginning exploit the agency that online accounts sometimes rely on a phone number as a disengagement in the event of lose a password .
SIM swaps often swear on hackers usingsocial engineeringtechniques totrick headphone carrier employees(orbribing them ) into handing over control of a person ’s account , as well ashacking into aircraft carrier organisation .
Social engineering
Social engineering is the art of human conjuring trick , and encompasses several techniques a cyberpunk can apply to deceive their prey into doing something they normally would not do . Phishing , for example , can be assort as a case of societal engineering attack because hack pull a fast one on targets into dawn on a malicious link or opening a malicious attachment , or calling someone on the phone while pretending to be their employer ’s IT department .
societal engineering can also be used in the real creation , for instance , to convince building security employees to rent someone who should n’t be allowed to enter the building . Some call it “ human hacking ” because societal technology attacks do n’t necessarily have to involve applied science .
( Also see : Phishing )
Spyware (commercial, government)
A broad term , like malware , that covers a stove of surveillance monitoring software . Spyware is typically used to have-to doe with to malware made by private companies , such as NSO Group ’s Pegasus , Intellexa ’s Predator , and Hacking Team ’s Remote Control System , among others , which the troupe betray to government agencies . In more generic terms , these types of malware are like removed access tools , which allows their operators — usually government agents — to descry and supervise their target , giving them the power to get at a machine ’s television camera and mike or exfiltrate information . Spyware is also referred to as commercial or government spyware , or mercenary spyware .
( See also : Stalkerware )
Stalkerware
Stalkerware is a kind of surveillance malware ( and a form of spyware ) that is usually sold to average consumers under the pretext of child or employee monitoring software package but is often used for the purposes of spying on the phones of unwitting individual , oftentimes spouses and domesticated partners . The spyware grants entree to the target area ’s content , localisation , and more . Stalkerware typically require physical access to a prey ’s twist , which gives the attacker the ability to install it directly on the target ’s twist , often because the assailant knows the target ’s passcode .
( See also : Spyware )
Threat model
What are you trying to protect ? Who are you worried about that could go after you or your data ? How could these attackers get to the data ? The resolution to these kinds of questions are what will lead you to create a threat mannikin . In other words , threat modeling is a process that an organization or an individual has to go through to excogitation software that is unafraid , and devise technique to stop up it . A threat model can be focused and specific depending on the situation . A human rights activist in an authoritarian country has a different set of adversaries , and information , to protect than a turgid corp in a popular country that is worried about ransomware , for example .
( See also : Operational security )
Unauthorized
When we describe “ wildcat ” admission , we ’re referring to the accessing of a computer system by breaking any of its security measure features , such as a login command prompt or a password , which would be considered illegal under the U.S. Computer Fraud and Abuse Act , or the CFAA . TheSupreme Court in 2021clarified the CFAA , bump that accessing a system lacking any means of authorization — for representative , a database with no password — is not illegal , as you could not separate a surety feature of speech that is n’t there .
It ’s deserving mention that “ unauthorized ” is a broadly speaking used term and often used by companies subjectively , and as such has been used to describe malicious hacker who steal someone ’s password to kick downstairs in through to incidents of insider access or misuse by employees .
Virtual private network (VPN)
A virtual secret web , or VPN , is anetworking technologythat allows someone to “ virtually ” access a individual meshing , such as their workplace or home , from anywhere else in the public . Many use a VPN supplier to graze the web , opine that this can facilitate to invalidate online surveillance .
TechCrunch hasa sceptic ’ guide to VPNsthat can help you decideif a VPN take a leak sentience for you . If it does , we ’ll show you how to set up your own private and encipher VPN waiter that only you insure . And if it does n’t , weexplore some of the concealment shaft and other touchstone you may taketo meaningfully improve your privateness online .
Vulnerability
A vulnerability ( also referred to as a protection defect ) is a case of bug that causes software to doss down or do in an unexpected way that affect the security of the system or its datum . Sometimes , two or more vulnerabilities can be used in conjunction with each other — have it away as “ exposure chain ” — to get ahead deep access to a targeted organization .
( See also : Bug;Exploit )
Zero-click (and one-click) attacks
Malicious attack can sometimes be categorized and described by the amount of substance abuser fundamental interaction that malware , or a malicious hacker , needs in guild to achieve successful compromise . One - click fire refer to the butt have to interact only once with the incoming come-on , such as clicking on a malicious link or spread out an affixation , to concede the intruder access . But zero - suction stop onslaught take issue in that they can reach compromise without the quarry having to dawn or tap anything . Zero - clicks are most - invisible to the quarry and are far more unmanageable to place . As such , zero - clink attack are almost always delivered over the internet , and are often reserved for high - time value aim for their stealthy capabilities , such as deploy spyware .
( Also see : Spyware )
Zero-day
A zero - day is a specific type of surety exposure that has been publicly expose or work but the seller who makes the affected hardware or software has not been given clock time ( or “ zero day ” ) to fix the problem . As such , there may be no immediate localization or mitigation to foreclose an unnatural organization from being compromise . This can be peculiarly problematic for internet - connected machine .
First put out on September 20 , 2024 .
