Common Cybersecurity Acronyms

Cybersecurity is an aspect of technology that protects information stored digitally, to protect it from hackers. It is a vast subject with a plethora of acronyms that the everyone should become familiar with. Below is a list of a few common terms categorized by topic rather than alphabetically. Jump to the section that you might have the most interest in. 

CYBERSECURITY SOLUTIONS 

SIEM – Security Information and Event Management 

A SIEM is a deployable collector that provides a local network with real-time analysis of the environment’s activity.

ATP – Advanced Threat Protection 

An alternative to the less-reliable anti-virus software that goes beyond point-in-time detection and analyzes files and traffic to find and counter advanced malware. 

SOC – Security Operations Center 

A team dedicated solely to customizing and enhancing the monitoring of a service like SIEM and ATP. This group monitors, tracks, combats, and remediates serious cybersecurity threats.

ENTITIES AND INDIVIDUALS

CISO — Chief Information Security Offer 

The company executive that ensures that their enterprise’s technology and information is not compromised by online hackers or other security threats. 

MSP — Managed Service Provider 

The entity that provides companies with service, support, and cybersecurity software solutions.

MSSP — Managed Security Service Provider 

Security providers but unlike MSPs, MSSPs help the company prevent, detect, and/or respond to threats and compliance requirements. 

IT — Information Technology 

An individual or group of individuals that have advanced expertise in technology and manage operations and access to data.

COMPLIANCE 

HIPAA — Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act 

Compliance laws pertaining to the 1996 act that give provisions to protecting the privacy/data of patients. 

PCI DSS — Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard

Requirements for ensuring businesses that handle credit card transactions maintain a secure environment and protect cardholder data.

23 NYCRR 500 – New York State Department of Financial Services Cybersecurity Requirements

Regulation that requires a cybersecurity framework to address various aspects of data protection, risk assessment, and incident response with the objective to safeguard the sensitive financial information of individuals and entities within the state of New York.

FISMA — Federal Information Security Management and Modernization Acts 

The 2002 and 2014 acts that hold companies legally responsible to set and comply with policies in order to secure other agencies’ information systems within the U.S. Federal government. 

FFIEC — Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council 

An institute that is concerned with the supervision of other financial institutions and their dealings between their services and their customers. 

This list is NOT a comprehensive list and only covers some of the acronyms used in our day-to-day discussions about cybersecurity. You are welcome to contact us if you are interested in learning more about these terms or our services. You can also sign-up for our cybersecurity tips mailing list.