Cybersecurity Glossary

Malware, short for malicious software, is any firmware or software that’s designed to infect or steal information from one or multiple computer systems.

A man in the middle attack (MitM) is when someone intercepts sensitive information or data by either eavesdropping on a conversation or data transfer between two parties or impersonating one of the parties. A person carrying out a MitM attack may be undetectable to the legitimate participants, which enables them to obtain sensitive information or pass on malicious links without triggering any red flags.

Managed service providers (MSPs) are third-party organizations hired by companies to manage one or more of their IT functions. MSPs offer a range of services, including IT consulting, cloud services, remote monitoring and management of information systems, and security services. Managed security is one of the fastest growing service areas for MSPs, as cyberattacks on businesses continue to sharply rise.

Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) is a security measure that uses at least two different login methods to verify a person’s identity. As opposed to logging in via username and password, MFA uses tools such as security questions, unique codes sent to phones or email addresses, or fingerprint technology to further secure an individual’s account. MFA helps organizations protect individual corporate accounts and defend against unauthorized access, data breaches, and more.