IT-Sec terms explained
threat actor = someone who wants to punch you in the face
- threat = the punch being thrown
- vulnerability = your inability to defend against the punch
- risk = the likelihood of getting punched in the face
- acceptable risk = your willingness to be punched in the face
- attack surface = every part of you that can be hit, plus every place you hang out where someone could take a swing
- attack vector = the route the fist takes to reach you: from the front, from behind, or via your buddy who holds you still
- exploit = the specific technique that takes advantage of the gap in your guard, like the hook that lands right when you drop your hands
- zero-day = a punch you didn't know existed, so you never trained against it
- social engineering = someone kindly asks you to lower your hands for a sec, and you do
- control / mitigation = keeping your guard up, keeping your distance, learning to box
- defense in depth = guard, helmet, mouthguard, and a friend who steps in
- residual risk = it still hurts despite the helmet and the guard
- risk transfer = health insurance paying for your new teeth
- risk avoidance = staying out of the bar where fights break out every night
- reducing the attack surface = not going to every bar, not arguing with everyone, not getting into every fight
- threat intelligence = knowing who in town likes to punch people, where he hangs out, and that he's left-handed
- detection = seeing the punch coming before it lands
- dwell time = the time between the first punch and the moment you realize you're being beaten up
- lateral movement = after the face, he goes for the liver
- persistence = he's waiting outside your front door again tomorrow
- incident response = stopping the bleeding, getting away, calling the police, looking for your tooth
- red team = a friend who attacks you with permission so you can find your gaps
- false positive = ducking because someone just wanted to wave
- security awareness = you've finally realized that "could you lower your hands for a sec?" is not an innocent request