The glossary is a constant work-in-progress. If you have words you’d like to have defined let me know. Or if you have definitions that are messing, let me know that too.
backdoor -
An intentional vulnerability or weakness left in a system that allows certain privileged people to access a system while bypassing normal security mechanism. Backdoors are accessible to everyone but not intended to be published - relying on "security through obscurity". In general they tend to be found and published and used by the wrong people.
- Synonyms: back-door, backdooring
- Synonyms: back-door, backdooring
bad actor -
a person or group who actively seeks to break computer security, compromise applications, or steal data for malicious purposes. Sometimes called hacking, but hackers but or may not have good intentions.
BASIC -
Beginners All Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code. A programming language designed specifically for beginners.
- Synonyms: AI
- Synonyms: AI
brute-force -
Brute-force is a technique of trying every possible combination when attacking a system. Rather than using a sophisticated method or insider information, you simply start at 1 and try every possible thing. For example if you have a 4 digit password, you can run attacks starting with 0000 and continuing through 9999 until you get in. Secure systems normally take steps to make sure attackers cannot use this method by putting time delays and lockouts into the system.
- Synonyms: bruteforce, brute-forcing, bruteforcing
- Synonyms: bruteforce, brute-forcing, bruteforcing