Knowledge Centre
Cyber security terms, explained plainly.
Short, factual reference pages defining the certifications, threats and controls that come up in tenders, insurance forms and supplier questionnaires. Each page starts with a definition and answers the questions people actually ask.
Certification
What is Cyber Essentials?
Cyber Essentials is a UK government-backed certification scheme, overseen by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and delivered through IASME, that verifies an organisation has five basic technical controls in place. Certification is awarded on the basis of a self-assessment questionnaire signed off by a board-level representative and reviewed by a licensed assessor.
Read definitionWhat is Cyber Essentials Plus?
Cyber Essentials Plus is the audited tier of the UK Cyber Essentials scheme. It covers the same five technical controls as the self-assessed certification, but a licensed assessor independently verifies them through hands-on technical testing of a representative sample of devices and user accounts, rather than relying on the organisation's own declaration.
Read definitionThreats
What is phishing?
Phishing is a form of social engineering in which an attacker sends a fraudulent message — usually email — impersonating a trusted sender, in order to trick the recipient into revealing credentials, approving a payment, or opening a malicious attachment or link. It remains the most common initial access method in breaches affecting small and medium-sized organisations.
Read definitionWhat is ransomware?
Ransomware is malicious software that encrypts an organisation's files and systems so they cannot be used, after which the attacker demands payment for a decryption key. Most current attacks also exfiltrate data before encryption and threaten to publish it — a technique known as double extortion — so that stolen data remains leverage even when backups allow recovery.
Read definitionControls
What is multi-factor authentication?
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is an access control that requires two or more independent forms of evidence before granting a sign-in: something the user knows, such as a password; something they have, such as a phone or hardware key; or something they are, such as a fingerprint. It is designed so that a stolen password alone is not sufficient to access an account.
Read definitionWhat is endpoint protection?
Endpoint protection is security software deployed on laptops, desktops, servers and mobile devices to prevent, detect and respond to malicious activity. Traditional endpoint protection platforms (EPP) block known malware using signatures and heuristics; endpoint detection and response (EDR) adds behavioural analysis, recording of system activity, and the ability to investigate and isolate a compromised device.
Read definitionWhat is Zero Trust security?
Zero Trust is a security model based on the principle that no user, device or network location is inherently trusted. Every access request is authenticated, authorised and evaluated against current context — identity, device health, location and behaviour — regardless of whether it originates inside or outside the corporate network, and access is granted at the minimum level required.
Read definitionIT & Cloud
What is Microsoft 365 Business Premium?
Microsoft 365 Business Premium is a licensing plan for organisations with up to 300 users that combines the Office applications and cloud services of Business Standard with a set of security and device management tools — Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1, Defender for Business, Microsoft Intune, Entra ID Plan 1 and Azure Information Protection.
Read definitionWhat is managed IT support?
Managed IT support is an arrangement in which an external provider takes ongoing responsibility for an organisation's technology — helpdesk, device and server management, patching, monitoring, backup and vendor liaison — for a recurring fee, usually charged per user or per device, under a defined service level agreement.
Read definitionLooking for something longer?
The Knowledge Centre covers definitions. For step-by-step guides, worked examples and current threat commentary, see our resources and blog.
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