Technology is an ever changing environment of focus and consideration, with acronyms evolving at a rapid pace. Below is a summary of the terms used across cyber security and physical security, with other useful terms thrown in that are relevant to understanding.
Email us at [email protected] with any further suggestions. In general, we will refer to Forrester, Gartner, IDC, InfoTech Research and Wikipedia to confirm the validity of any suggestions before publishing.
| Acronym | Full Form | Description |
|---|---|---|
| APT | Advanced Persistent Threat | Prolonged and targeted cyberattack in which an intruder gains access to a network |
| API | Application Programming Interface | Set of rules for building and interacting with software applications |
| AI | Artificial Intelligence | Simulation of human intelligence in machines |
| BaaS | Backend as a Service | Cloud service model for backend development |
| BI | Business Intelligence | Tools and systems for analyzing business data |
| BCP | Business Continuity Plan | Strategy for maintaining operations during disruptions |
| BYOD | Bring Your Own Device | Policy allowing employees to use personal devices for work |
| CAPEX | Capital Expenditure | Funds used by a company to acquire or upgrade physical assets |
| CDO | Chief Digital Officer | Executive responsible for an organisations digital strategy, usually with a view to monetise services and products |
| CIO | Chief Information Officer | Executive responsible for an organisations information strategy, usually with a view to maximise investment |
| CISO | Chief Information Security Officer | Executive responsible for an organization’s information security strategy |
| CI/CD | Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment | Practices for automating software development and deployment |
| CDN | Content Delivery Network | Distributed servers for faster delivery of web content |
| CRM | Customer Relationship Management | Tools for managing customer interactions and relationships |
| CTO | Chief Technology Officer | Executive responsible for an organizations techonology roadmap, with an emphasis on infrastructure and services |
| CVE | Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures | List of publicly disclosed cybersecurity vulnerabilities |
| CVSS | Common Vulnerability Scoring System | Framework for rating the severity of security vulnerabilities |
| DaaS | Device as a Service | Supply of physical equipment – servers, laptops, switches, firewalls on a managed basis |
| DDoS | Distributed Denial of Service | Cyberattack that overwhelms a system with traffic |
| DLP | Data Loss Prevention | Tools and strategies to prevent unauthorized data access or transfer |
| DRaaS | Disaster Recovery as a Service | Cloud-based disaster recovery solutions |
| DRP | Disaster Recovery Plan | Plan for recovering IT systems after a disaster |
| EAI | Enterprise Application Integration | Framework for integrating enterprise applications |
| EDR | Endpoint Detection and Response | Tools for detecting and responding to threats on endpoints |
| ERP | Enterprise Resource Planning | Integrated software for managing business processes |
| ESG | Environmental, Social, and Governance | Framework for measuring sustainability and societal impact |
| ETL | Extract, Transform, Load | Process of extracting, transforming, and loading data for analysis |
| FaaS | Function as a Service | Serverless computing model for running code in response to events |
| GDPR | General Data Protection Regulation | EU regulation for data privacy and protection |
| IAM | Identity and Access Management | Framework for managing digital identities and access permissions |
| IoT | Internet of Things | Network of interconnected devices that communicate and exchange data |
| IPS | Intrusion Prevention System | Network security technology that monitors network traffic for malicious activit |
| ITIL | Information Technology Infrastructure Library | Framework for IT service management |
| IaaS | Infrastructure as a Service | Cloud-based virtualized computing resources |
| KPI | Key Performance Indicator | Metrics used to measure performance and success |
| MDR | Managed Detection and Response | |
| ML | Machine Learning | AI subset focused on algorithms that learn from data |
| MFA | Multi-Factor Authentication | Security system requiring multiple forms of verification |
| MITM | Man-in-the-Middle | Attack where the attacker secretly relays and possibly alters communication betw |
| NOC | Network Operations Center | Centralized location for monitoring and managing IT infrastructure |
| PaaS | Platform as a Service | Cloud platform for developing, running, and managing applications |
| PKI | Public Key Infrastructure | Framework for managing encryption and digital certificates |
| RDP | Remote Desktop Protocol | Protocol for remote access to computers over a network |
| RPA | Robotic Process Automation | Technology for automating repetitive tasks using software robots |
| ROI | Return on Investment | Measure of profitability for an investment |
| SaaS | Software as a Service | Software delivered over the internet on a subscription basis |
| SCM | Supply Chain Management | Management of the flow of goods and services |
| SIEM | Security Information and Event Management | Tools for real-time analysis of security alerts |
| SLA | Service Level Agreement | Contract defining service expectations between provider and customer |
| SASE | Secure Access Service Edge | Cloud-based network security model |
| SSO | Single Sign-On | Authentication process allowing access to multiple systems with one login |
| TCO | Total Cost of Ownership | Financial estimate of the total cost of a product or system |
| UI | User Interface | Visual and interactive elements of a software application |
| UX | User Experience | Design and interaction experience of a user with a product or service |
| VDI | Virtual Desktop Infrastructure | Technology for hosting desktop environments on a centralized server |
| VPN | Virtual Private Network | Secure connection over the internet to protect data |
| WAF | Web Application Firewall | Security system that monitors and filters HTTP traffic to and from a web application |
| XDR | eXtended Detection and Response | Security solution that integrates multiple security products into a cohesive system |
| ZTA | Zero Trust Architecture | Security model that assumes no implicit trust in any network |
Email us at [email protected] with any further suggestions. In general, we will refer to Forrester, Gartner, IDC, InfoTech Research and Wikipedia to confirm the validity of any suggestions before publishing.