Definition
What is the Domain Name System (DNS)? | Definition from TechTarget
The domain name system (DNS) is a naming database in which internet domain names are located and translated into Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. The DNS maps the name people use to locate a website to the IP address that a computer uses to locate that website. For example, if someone types example.com into a web…
What is a Message Authentication Code (MAC)? How it Works and Best Practices | Definition from TechT
A message authentication code (MAC) is a cryptographic checksum applied to a message to guarantee its integrity and authenticity. A MAC is used in network communications to confirm that a message is indeed coming from the stated sender and has not been changed. MACs are useful for protecting data, preventing impersonation and detecting message tampering….
What is a Risk Assessment? | Definition from TechTarget
What is a risk assessment? Risk assessment is the process of identifying hazards that could negatively affect an organization’s ability to conduct business. These assessments help identify inherent business risks and prompt measures, processes and controls to reduce the impact of these risks on business operations. Risk assessments help ensure the health and safety of…
What is asymmetric cyberattack? | Definition from TechTarget
An asymmetric cyberattack refers to cyberwarfare that inflicts a proportionally large amount of damage compared to the resources used by targeting the victim’s most vulnerable security measure. What does ‘asymmetric’ mean in asymmetric cyberattacks? In asymmetric cyberattacks, the perpetrator has an unfair (or asymmetric) advantage over the victim that can be impossible to detect. Oftentimes,…
What is Third-Party Risk Management? | Definition from TechTarget
Third-party risk management (TPRM) is a comprehensive framework for identifying, assessing and mitigating risks associated with using external vendors, suppliers, partners and service providers. In today’s interconnected business environment, organizations increasingly rely on third parties, which can introduce financial, operational, regulatory, cybersecurity and reputational risks. TPRM is a specialized subset of broader risk management, which…
What is Security? | Definition from TechTarget
Security for information technology (IT) refers to the methods, tools and personnel used to defend an organization’s digital assets. The goal of IT security is to protect these assets, devices and services from being disrupted, stolen or exploited by unauthorized users, otherwise known as threat actors. These threats can be external or internal and malicious…
What is Compliance Risk? | Definition from TechTarget
Compliance risk is an organization’s potential exposure to legal penalties, financial forfeiture and material loss, resulting from its failure to act in accordance with industry laws and regulations, internal policies or prescribed best practices. Compliance risk is also known as integrity risk. Organizations of all types and sizes are exposed to compliance risk, whether they…
What is business resilience? | Definition from TechTarget
Business resilience is an organization’s ability to adapt quickly to disruptions while maintaining continuous business operations and safeguarding people, assets and overall brand equity. Transcending disaster recovery (DR) and business continuity (BC), business resilience offers post-disaster strategies to avoid costly downtime, shore up vulnerabilities and maintain business operations in the face of additional, unexpected outages…
What are the top 10 spyware threats? | Definition from TechTarget
The top 10 spyware list describes the most common spyware threats behind famous spyware attacks and is frequently identified by leading antispyware tools from vendors like Webroot, Norton and Malwarebytes. What is spyware? Spyware refers to malicious software purposely designed to access a computer and record its activity. Spyware can track and record a user’s…
What is a certificate authority (CA)? | Definition from TechTarget
A certificate authority (CA) is a trusted entity that issues digital certificates to authenticate content sent from web servers. These certificates are data files used to cryptographically link an entity with a public key. Web browsers use them to authenticate content sent from web servers, ensuring trust in content delivered online and facilitating more trustworthy…
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