Cybersecurity Glossary

Whaling is a type of phishing attack in which threat actors target senior executives by posing as a legitimate business or partner. In this type of attack, hackers commonly target C-level executives to initiate a wire transfer or obtain sensitive information. Hackers exploit victims by sending emails that contain phishing links or malicious attachments. Whaling is often highly targeted and uses personal information about the intended victim to tailor attacks, making them more effective than traditional phishing campaigns.

XDR (Extended Detection and Response), is a cross-layered cybersecurity tool used by organizations to enhance the security posture of their entire infrastructure. With greater oversight and visibility of data across a multitude of sources, XDR enables organizations to better identify and respond to cybersecurity threats in a more streamlined fashion. XDR makes it possible to achieve a birds-eye view of your cybersecurity posture, while lessening the manual burden placed on cybersecurity personnel to ensure airtight security. An effective XDR strategy enhances the detection and response capabilities of your organization which is crucial in order to minimize security lapses between your cybersecurity solutions.

A zero day exploit is a method used by hackers to perform a cyberattack through a security vulnerability. Zero-day exploits take advantage of new software patches or undisclosed security risks to steal sensitive information or damage computer systems. These types of exploits require prompt remediation, since you essentially have “zero days” to patch the exposed security vulnerabilities.

A zero trust security model is predicated on the idea that networks need to be protected from both external and internal threats. While historically, organizations have put most of their cybersecurity efforts into thwarting attacks from individuals outside the company, the zero trust model proposes that effective cybersecurity means verifying and authenticating all individuals that interact with sensitive information.

Insider threats have steadily increased in recent years, which is why many organizations are now continuously monitoring access privileges and ensuring only users have access to the systems they need. Maintaining strict access controls helps improve the security posture of your organization and protects against all threats, whether they be inside or outside your perimeters.