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Technology glossary

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20 terms

security Also: audit trail

Audit log

A protected record of important actions and security-relevant events.
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security Also: authn

Authentication

The process of verifying that someone or something is who it claims to be.
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security Also: authz

Authorization

The decision about what an authenticated user or system is allowed to do.
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security Also: CSP

Content Security Policy

Browser rules that restrict where a page may load and run content.
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security Also: CSRF

Cross-site request forgery

An attack that tricks a signed-in browser into sending an unwanted request.
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security Also: XSS

Cross-site scripting

An injection flaw that makes untrusted script run in another user’s browser.
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security Also: hash

Cryptographic hash

A one-way function that produces a fixed-size fingerprint of data.
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security

Encryption

Transforming readable data so only authorized holders of a key can read it.
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security Also: HTTP over TLS

HTTPS

HTTP communication protected by Transport Layer Security.
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security

Least privilege

Giving a user or system only the access needed for its current job.
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security Also: MFA

Multi-factor authentication

Sign-in that requires more than one different type of proof.
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security

Passkey

A phishing-resistant sign-in credential that uses public-key cryptography.
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security

Phishing

A deceptive attempt to trick someone into revealing information or taking an unsafe action.
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security Also: request throttling

Rate limiting

Restricting how often an action may be attempted in a period.
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security Also: RLS

Row-level security

Database rules that control which individual records a user may access.
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security Also: credential secret

Secret

Sensitive information used to prove identity or authorize protected operations.
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security Also: hardware security key

Security key

A physical authenticator used to prove possession during sign-in.
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security

Session

A limited period during which a service remembers an authenticated interaction.
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security Also: TOTP

Time-based one-time password

A short code generated from a shared secret and the current time.
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security

Vulnerability

A weakness that could be used to harm a system or its data.
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