DIGITAL SECURITY VOCABULARY

Malware: Malicious software designed to harm, exploit, or otherwise compromise a computer system.

Sentence: After downloading an unverified app, my computer was infected with malware that stole my personal information.

Phishing: A fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information by disguising as a trustworthy entity in electronic communications.

Sentence: I almost fell for a phishing email that appeared to be from my bank, asking me to verify my account details.

Encryption: The process of converting information into a code to prevent unauthorized access.

Sentence: The company implemented encryption for all customer data to ensure it remained secure during transmission.

Firewall: A network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules.

Sentence: Our IT department installed a firewall to protect the company’s network from external threats.

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): A security process in which the user provides two different authentication factors to verify themselves.

Sentence: I enabled two-factor authentication on my email account for an extra layer of security.

Trojan Horse: A type of malware that disguises itself as a legitimate software to trick users into installing it.

Sentence: The Trojan horse disguised as a game app led to a serious data breach in the system.

Data Breach: An incident where unauthorized individuals gain access to confidential data.

Sentence: The data breach exposed thousands of customers’ personal information, leading to widespread panic.

Ransomware: A type of malware that encrypts the victim’s files and demands payment for the decryption key.

Sentence: The organization was paralyzed by a ransomware attack, forcing them to pay a hefty ransom to regain access to their data.

VPN (Virtual Private Network): A service that encrypts your internet connection to secure your online activities from prying eyes.

Sentence: Using a VPN while browsing on public Wi-Fi helped keep my data safe from potential hackers.

Spyware: Software that secretly monitors user activity and collects information without their consent.

Sentence: After realizing my laptop was slower than usual, I discovered that spyware had been tracking my online behavior.