Glossary

A trusted employee or contractor who deliberately and wilfully breach their duty to maintain the security of privileged information, techniques, technology, assets or premises. This could include a self-motivated insider, who is an individual whose actions are undertaken of their own volition, and not initiated as the result of any connection to, or direction by, a third party. It could also be a recruited insider, who is co-opted by a third party to specifically exploit their potential, current or former privileged access. This includes individuals cultivated and recruited by a foreign intelligence service (FIS), or other entity with malicious intent.

A malicious link is created with the purpose of promoting scams, attacks and frauds. By clicking on an infected URL, you can download malware such as a Trojan or virus that can take control of your devices, or you can be persuaded to provide sensitive information on a fake website.

Any software that brings harm to a computer system. Malware can be in the form of worms, viruses, Trojans, spyware, adware and rootkits etc which steal protected data, delete documents or add software not approved by a user.

See malicious advertising.

Malicious software used to gain unauthorised access to computers, steal information and disrupt or disable networks. Types of malware include Trojans, viruses and worms. See also malicious code, malicious applets, and malicious logic.

A company that remotely manages a customer's IT infrastructure and/or end-user systems, typically on a proactive basis and under a subscription model.

Traffic generated by system administrators over a network in order to control workstations and servers. This includes standard management protocols and traffic that contains information relating to the management of the network.

A generic term for hardware, often portable in nature, which is used to store data.

The process of physically damaging media with the intent of making data stored on it inaccessible. To destroy media effectively, only the actual material in which data is stored needs to be destroyed.

The process of relinquishing control of media when it is no longer required.