Cybersecurity terms A-Z

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Did you know that Australians lost $260,000 to PayID scams last year?

You might be wondering about how to protect yourself from falling into scams and cyberattacks, especially when dealing with urgent loans and utility bills. Don’t worry, you're not alone! In fact, 3 in 4 Australians feel that data breaches are one of the biggest cybersecurity risks they face today.  

To help you feel in control of your devices and personal info we’ve compiled a list of terms that might be handy to know what to look out for when using the internet.

Anti-virus: Do you wish for a way to keep your devices safe without you having to worry? Well there is and it's called anti-virus - a kind of software used to prevent, scan, detect and delete viruses from a computer. (Source: Verizon) 

Botnet: A group of computers that have been infected with a virus and work together to create attacks such as sending spam and data theft. These computers are usually controlled by a hacker. (Source: Simpleilearn)

Cookies: You’re probably familiar with the pop-up banner that asks us to accept cookies when we’re browsing the internet. But what actually happens? Cookies are pieces of data stored in a web browser that help websites remember user’s information such as logins and shopping carts. (Source: kaspersky)

Deep fake: Have you ever come across a meme on the internet of a celebrity doing something random or out of character? That could have been a deep fake. This is an image or recording that has been altered to misrepresent someone doing or saying something that did not happen. (Source: merriam-webster) 

Encryption: A type of coding that makes messages or information unreadable and secretive. Hackers can use this to lock victims out of their files. (Source: Simpleilearn)

Firewall: Don’t worry, no one needs to be evacuated! A firewall is a type of technology that acts as a security guard for your computer and devices to keep cybersecurity threats such as hackers, spam and viruses away.(Source: Simpleilearn) 

Google dorking: This is when hackers use advanced Google searches to find weak websites or sensitive data they can exploit. (Source: techtarget) 

Honeypot: A security system that is generally a website that is used to lure attackers into meaningless locations to avoid harm to genuine and crucial data. (Source: Ukcybersecuritycouncil)

Internet of Things (IOT): The name for a network of devices that connect to the internet and to each other. More common than you might think, these include everything from your wearable fitness trackers to smart appliances and voice assistants. (Source: trendmicro)

JBOH (JavaScript-Binding-Over-HTTP): This one’s a mouthful, but essentially refers to a mobile device attack often targeting Android users through a malicious or compromised app. (Source: Sangfor Technologies)

Keylogger: Did you know there’s a type of spyware that can monitor or record what you type on your computer or mobile? It’s called a keylogger and can be used legally, like for device monitoring in agreed contracts, or illegally, like in cases of identity theft or stalking. (Source: Norton) 

LAN (Local Area Network): Developed in the 1960s initially for universities and research facilities, a LAN is a network of devices connected in one physical location such as an office or building. The shared network allows for sharing and connection among devices, but also carries the risk of cybersecurity attacks affecting the entire network. (Source: Cisco) 

Malware: This covers all types of malicious software that can be used to access data, such as financial information and passwords, in order to conduct illegal activities including identity theft, stealing financial information and infecting computers. (Source: McAfee)

Network security: To help detect and prevent cyber attacks, various mechanisms are usually put in place to build a network security framework. This can include technologies such as firewalls and email or app security tools. (Source: IBM)

One-Time Password (OTP): A unique password that can only be used once, usually generated by the platform you’re logging into, an OTP adds an extra layer of authorisation to help protect your access and identity. (Source: Thales) 

Phishing: Ever received a suspicious email? That could’ve been phishing in action. This is one of the most common types of cyber attacks, where a fraudulent email is sent with the aim to steal data such as login and financial information. Checking for details in the email such as sender information, poor grammar and spelling and unsolicited attachments could help you protect yourself from phishing attacks. (Source: Cisco) 

Quarantine: Yes, this also applies to cybersecurity! Similar to the way quarantining works in health, if a file on a device is suspected of being infected with a virus, an antivirus program may quarantine the file to prevent it from spreading and keep your other files safe and secure. (Source: Blumira)

Ransomware: Just how it sounds, ransomware is a type of malware that usually involves a cybercriminal locking your files and demanding a ransom to prevent your information being leaked or sold online. (Source: Australian Cyber Security Centre)

Social Engineering: Picture a digital con artist. They trick people into sharing secrets like passwords and important information by using techniques such as phishing, baiting, etc. (Source: IBM)

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA):  A security method that requires you to provide two forms of verification, typically a password and a temporary code sent to your mobile device, for accessing your account. (Source: TechTarget)

User and Entity Behaviour Analytics (UEBA): It’s like a cyber detective. It watches how things usually happen in a computer system and learns the normal stuff. Then, if something strange or bad happens – like unusual data moves or sneaky actions – it raises an alarm. (Source: Paloaltonetworks)

Vulnerability: Think of it as a secret weak spot in a system's setup or design. Hackers can find and use this weak spot to sneak in, cause chaos, or swipe valuable info. (Source: Upguard)

Worm: Bad software that moves between computers on its own, without people doing anything. It uses weaknesses in networks or systems to spread and can carry harmful things like malware or ransomware. (Source: Malwarebytes)

XSS (Cross-Site Scripting): This is where attackers put harmful scripts into websites so that when other people use those sites, the scripts run in their web browsers, letting the attackers steal information and change things. (Source: PortSwigger)

YubiKey: A hardware-based authentication device that provides strong two-factor authentication and passwordless login. (Source: nytime)

Zero-Day Exploit: This is when hackers find a hidden weakness in a software to organise a surprise attack. This means that developers of the software aren’t aware of the problem and therefore aren’t ready in time to stop them.  (Source: TechTarget)

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