What do acronyms and abbreviations EPP EDR XDR MDR MXDR NDR SOC SIEM SOAR NTA IDS IPS DLP MSP MSSP SSO LDAP SSL TLS IAM DMARC DNS IP URL TCP UDP DHCP HTTPS ZeroTrust WAF XSS OWASP DevOps MFA 2FA PAM SAM RBI BYOD BCDR mean?

I have tried to gather in a list (not exhaustive) the various terms that I have encountered so far, a list that I will try to update as opportunities arise.

EPP

EPP stands for Endpoint Protection Platform.

EPP is an endpoint protection platform, i.e. a comprehensive security solution deployed on endpoint devices to ensure protection against threats.

The EPP solutions are typically managed from the cloud, focus exclusively on endpoints, and incorporate four functions:

• basic (antivirus) and advanced (AI-based) cybersecurity to prevent unknown or zero-day attacks or fileless attacks
• prevention against file-based malware
• detection of suspicious activity using techniques ranging from indicators of compromise (IoC) to behavioural analysis
• response through investigation and remediation tools to manage incidents and dynamic alerts

As such, multi-level EPP solutions can also include EDR type functionalities, although EPP is more comprehensive than EDR which focuses on detecting and responding to endpoint threats.

EDR

EDR stands for Endpoint Detection and Response.

The term EDR was coined by Anton Chuvakin of Gartner, also known as endpoint detection and threat response (EDTR), and is the technology or managed service that records and stores endpoint system behaviour, uses various data analysis techniques to detect suspicious system behaviour, provides contextual information, blocks malicious activities, and provides suggestions for restoring affected systems.

Clearly, a traditional antivirus system is the starting point, but it has some limitations, such as:

• Time limit: a normal antivirus bases its protection on a ‘signature’ system, i.e. it compares the files it is checking with the database provided by the vendor, but the database is normally updated daily, leaving an ‘uncovered’ period in which the threat is present and has not yet been added to the antivirus database.
• Structural limitation: if a file or executable is modified even partially, for example by changing a line of code and recompiling it, it will appear as ‘new’ and will have to go through the analysis and categorisation cycle, adding a further delay.
• Inability to respond effectively to “zero-day” attacks, i.e. the lack of tools that allow new threats to be identified without them already being present in the vendor's databases.

XDR

XDR stands for eXtended Detection and Response.

XDR is the evolution of EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) and has a broader scope than EDR in that it not only captures and correlates information about endpoint activity, but also provides detection, analysis and response across networks, servers, cloud workloads, identities, SIEM and more.

XDR enables faster, more thorough and effective threat detection and response than EDR, as it captures and compares data from a wider range of sources and, thanks to artificial intelligence and automation, offers advantages such as reduced detection time, investigation time and response time, and improved visibility across the entire enterprise security landscape.

MDR

MDR stands for Managed Detection and Response.

MDR is a cybersecurity service typically managed by a cybersecurity solution provider. It does not refer to a specific technology, but rather leverages multiple technologies and skills to continuously monitor IT resources, providing a range of threat detection and response capabilities to mitigate the damage caused by cyberattacks that evade prevention controls.

MXDR

MXDR stands for Managed Extended Detection and Response.

MXDR extends MDR services across the entire organisation, delivering a fully managed solution that includes security analytics and operations, advanced threat hunting, and rapid detection and response capabilities across endpoints, networks, and cloud environments.

An MXDR service extends customers' XDR capabilities with MDR services, which add monitoring, investigation, threat hunting, and response capabilities.

NDR

NDR stands for Network Detection and Response.

NDR solutions continuously monitor and analyse corporate network traffic to generate a baseline of normal network behaviour.

When suspicious network traffic patterns that deviate from this baseline are detected, NDR tools alert security teams to the potential presence of threats within their environment.

In a world where networks are extending into the cloud and continually growing in size and complexity, network detection and response (NDR) solutions are able to detect cyber threats on corporate networks using artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and data analytics.

In addition, NDR solutions should also incorporate incident response capabilities that go beyond alert generation.

SOC

SOC stands for Security Operations Center.

A SOC is a facility where all information on the IT security status of a company (known as an internal SOC if created within the company) or multiple managed companies is centralised, as in the case where the SOC belongs to a Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP).

A SOC consists of people, technologies, and processes and provides three types of services:

• Management services: all management activities related to IT infrastructure security features (network, systems and applications) are centralised by the SOC.
• Monitoring services: the IT and security infrastructure are monitored in real time in order to promptly detect attempts at intrusion, attack or misuse of the systems.
• Proactive services: these are services aimed at improving the organisation's level of protection (security assessments, vulnerability assessments, early warning, security awareness).

SIEM

SIEM stands for Security Information & Event Management.

SIEM is the management of security information and events and includes real-time event monitoring and analysis, as well as the tracking and recording of security data for compliance or auditing purposes.

SIEM systems vary based on features, but they generally offer these three basic functions:

• Credential management: SIEM systems collect large amounts of data in one place, organise it, and then determine whether there are any signs of threats, attacks, or breaches.
• Event correlation: The data is then sorted to identify relationships and patterns in order to quickly detect and respond to potential threats.
• Incident monitoring and response: SIEM technology monitors security incidents in an organisation's network and provides alerts and controls for all activity related to an incident.

SOAR

SOAR stands for Security Orchestration and Automated Response.

SOAR indicates three key capabilities used by security teams:

• scenario and workflow management
• task automation and centralised access system
• query and sharing of threat intelligence data

The SOAR functionalities are generally implemented within the organization's security operations center (SOC).

SOAR is a complex and expensive technology that requires a specialised security team to implement and manage partner integrations and playbooks. SOAR platforms are used by the most mature security teams to create and execute multi-layered playbooks that automate actions across an ecosystem of security solutions interconnected via APIs.

NTA

NTA stands for Network Traffic Analysis.

NTA is a network traffic analysis solution, along with others such as Network Detection and Response (NDR) or Network Analysis and Visibility (NAV), and uses a combination of machine learning, behavioural modelling and rule-based detection to identify anomalies or suspicious activity on the network.

Network Traffic Analysis (NTA) allows for:

• Identify bottlenecks: an increase in the number of users in a single geographical location could lead to bottlenecks.
• Resolve bandwidth issues: an increase in the number of users or the amount of activity can lead to slow connections if the network has not been designed adequately.
• Improve device visibility on the network: greater awareness of endpoints can help administrators anticipate network traffic and make changes if necessary.
• Detect security issues and resolve them more quickly: NTA works in real time, alerting administrators when there is an anomaly in traffic or a possible breach.

IDS/IPS

IDS stands for Intrusion Detection System and IPS stands for Intrusion Prevention System.

IDS/IPS is a software or hardware device, or a combination of both, used to identify unauthorised access to computers or local networks and inform the user concerned, who can then respond to access attempts and block attacks before they occur.

Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) / Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) typically use three detection methodologies:

• Signature-based detection: signatures are compared with observed events to identify possible incidents.
• Anomaly-based detection: definitions of what is considered normal activity are compared with observed events to identify significant deviations.
• State protocol analysis: predetermined profiles of generally accepted definitions for benign protocol activity for each protocol state are compared against observed events to identify deviations.

DLP

DLP stands for Data Loss Prevention.

DLP is a set of products and procedures used to prevent any loss of data due to various causes, including attacks, data breaches, and the transfer of information (e.g., to and from the cloud, USB sticks, etc.).

DLP prevents important documents from being stolen by employees or attached to emails sent to external recipients, and ensures that sensitive information does not leave the company network.

DMARC

DMARC stands for Domain-based Message Authentication Reporting and Conformance.

DMARC is an email authentication protocol that provides domain-level protection for the email channel. DMARC authentication detects and prevents sender spoofing, a technique used in phishing emails, BEC (Business Email Compromise) scams, and other types of email-based attacks.

The domain owner can publish a DMARC record in the DNS (Domain Name System) and then create a rule to inform recipients what to do if the emails they receive fail authentication.

DNS

DNS stands for Domain Name System.

DNS refers to a system that regulates the translation of website domain names into IP addresses, as well as the protocol that regulates the operation of the service, the programmes that implement it, the servers on which it is processed, and the set of servers that work together to provide the most intelligent service.

The DNS system facilitates access to web pages without having to know their IP (Internet Protocol) address, i.e. a numerical code that is the basis for the correct transmission of information from the sender to the receiver (e.g. 192.100.1.1) which, as you can well understand, is practically impossible to remember.

IP

IP stands for Internet Protocol.

IP is the main protocol in the Internet protocol family and is vital for the exchange of messages in computer networks.

An IP address is a number in the IP packet that uniquely identifies a device and is assigned to an interface (e.g. a network card) that identifies the network host, which can be a personal computer, a handheld device, a smartphone, a router, or even a household appliance. A host can contain more than one interface: for example, a router has several interfaces (at least two), each of which requires an IP address.

URL

URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator.

A URL is a sequence of characters that uniquely identifies the address of a resource on a computer network, such as a document, image or video, typically located on a host server and made accessible to a client.

It is used to indicate web resources (http or https), resources retrievable via file transfer protocols (ftp), remote shares (smb) or access to external systems (ssh).

The resolution of the URL into an IP address, necessary for routing with the IP protocol, is done via DNS.

Zero Trust

Zero Trust is not an acronym or initialism, but rather a framework or strategic model that assumes that the security of a complex network is always at risk from external and internal threats, based on the concept of “never trust, always verify”.

Zero Trust models require that anyone and anything attempting to connect to an organisation's system must be verified before being granted access.

The main objective of the Zero Trust approach is to mitigate the risk of cyber attacks in modern environments, which are the theatre of activity for most organisations.

IAM

IAM stands for Identity and Access Management.

IAM is the security discipline that enables the right entities (people or things) to use the right resources (applications or data) when they need them, without interference, using the devices they want to use.

IAM encompasses the systems and processes that enable IT administrators to assign a unique digital identity to each entity, authenticate them when they log in, authorise them to access specified resources, and monitor and manage those identities throughout their lifecycle.

WAF

WAF stands for Web Application Firewall.

WAF is a technology that offers increased protection for corporate web applications and helps organisations defend themselves adequately against various types of cyber attacks, securely protecting data.

WAFs protect web applications from malicious attacks and unwanted Internet traffic, including bots, injections and denial of service (DoS) at the application level.

WAF allows you to define and manage rules to prevent threats from the Internet, including IP addresses, HTTP headers, HTTP body, URI strings, cross-site scripting (XSS), SQL injection, and other vulnerabilities defined by OWASP.

PAM

PAM stands for Privileged Access Management.

PAM is an identity security solution that helps protect organizations against cyberthreats by monitoring, detecting, and preventing unauthorized privileged access to critical resources.

SAM

I found two meanings for the acronym SAM, or rather, the ‘official’ acronym for SAM is Software Asset Management, but there is another very interesting one coined by the Slovak company Excalibur, whose meaning is Streamed Access Management, which is basically an evolution of PAM (Privileged Access Management).

1. SAM (Software Asset Management) is a business practice that involves managing and optimizing the purchase, deployment, maintenance, utilization, and disposal of software applications within an organization.
2. SAM (Streamed Access Management) is a solution that prevents users from directly accessing systems, by streamlining secure user access to critical systems. This way SAM protects sensitive resources from all potential vulnerabilities.

RBI

RBI stands for Remote Browser Isolation.

RBI is a web security technology that isolates users' internet browsing activities in a remote environment. By hosting browsing sessions on a separate server, RBI prevents web content from reaching and executing on the user's device.

This approach safeguards against potential web threats while maintaining the browsing experience.

2FA

2FA stands for Two-Factor Authentication.

2FA is two-factor authentication and is a secure method of access and identity management that requires two forms of identification to access resources and data, giving businesses the ability to monitor and help protect their vulnerable information and networks.

MFA

MFA stands for Multi-Factor Authentication.

MFA is an IT security technique that allows two or more authentication methods to be introduced to verify the identity of a user who needs to access a web-based application, account or any other online service.

The aim of multi-factor authentication is undoubtedly to increase the level of protection for access to web-based platforms: if one of the authentication levels is compromised, the other methods prevent access.

SSO

SSO stands for Single Sign-On.

SSO is a feature of an access control system that allows a user to perform a single authentication that is valid for multiple software systems or IT resources to which they are authorised.

In practice, it centralises access control for cloud and on-premise applications, simplifying and guaranteeing access to all applications with a single set of login credentials.

LDAP

LDAP stands for Lightweight Directory Access Protocol.

LDAP is a standard protocol for querying and modifying directory services, such as a company email list or telephone directory, or more generally any grouping of information that can be expressed as data records and organised hierarchically.

LDAP allows you to store, manage and protect information such as passwords and usernames for your organisation and its users and resources.

SSL

SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer.

SSL is a security protocol that creates an encrypted link between a web server and a web browser, using a digital certificate that authenticates the identity of a website and allows an encrypted connection to be established, thus protecting Internet connections and preventing criminals from reading or modifying the information exchanged between the two systems.

You can easily recognise whether a website is protected by SSL if a padlock icon is displayed next to the URL in the address bar.

TLS

TLS stands for Transport Layer Security.

TLS is a cryptographic presentation protocol that enables secure end-to-end communication over TCP/IP networks (such as the Internet) by providing authentication, data integrity and confidentiality operating above the transport layer.

TLS is an updated and more secure version of SSL.

HTTPS

HTTPS stands for HyperText Transfer Protocol over Secure (Socket Layer).

HTTPS, also known as HTTP over TLS, is a protocol for secure communication over a computer network used on the Internet. It consists of communication via the HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) protocol within an encrypted connection, using asymmetric encryption, from Transport Layer Security (TLS) or its predecessor, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).

TCP

TCP stands for Transmission Control Protocol.

TCP is one of the main protocols of the transport layer of the TCP/IP model and allows, at the application level, the management of data coming from (or destined for) the lower layer of the model (i.e. the IP protocol).

The TCP protocol also ensures that no packets are lost and that all data is delivered to the recipient. To guarantee the delivery of all packets, the TCP protocol requires the recipient to send a confirmation of receipt: if this is not sent, it will resend the missing packet.

UDP

UDP stands for User Datagram Protocol.

UDP is a network data transmission protocol that uses a transmission model without guarantees of reliability, ordering or data integrity, usually used in combination with the IP network layer protocol.

UDP is used in services that have such stringent timing requirements that they prefer communication with missing data to a delay in communication (such as real-time systems) and, although it works similarly to TCP in terms of sending requests and packets, it does not verify their receipt.

DHCP

DHCP stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol.

DHCP is a protocol that allows devices or terminals on a local network to automatically receive the IP configuration necessary to establish a connection and operate on a larger network based on the Internet Protocol.

In order to connect to a network, each device must have an IP address that identifies it.

XSS

XSS stands for Cross-Site Scripting.

XSS is a computer vulnerability that affects dynamic websites that use insufficient input validation in their forms.

In XSS attacks, malicious code written in a scripting language (JavaScript, VBScript, Flash, etc.) is inserted by cybercriminals into the dynamic content of websites and sent to the victim's browser.

The victim's browser has no way of knowing that the malicious scripts cannot be trusted and therefore executes them, allowing cybercriminals to carry out a variety of attacks such as collecting, manipulating and redirecting confidential information, viewing and modifying data on servers, altering the dynamic behaviour of web pages and other operations.

OWASP

OWASP stands for Open Worldwide Application Security Project.

OWASP is an international non-profit open-source project launched on 9 September 2001 by Mark Curphey, Dennis Groves and Jeremiah Grossman, with the aim of disseminating a series of guidelines and practical tools to support web developers in the secure development of web applications.

DevOps

DevOps is a contraction of the words Development and Operations.

DevOps is a software development methodology used in computing that aims at communication, collaboration, and integration between developers and IT operations personnel.

DevOps accelerates the delivery of higher quality software by combining and automating the work of software development teams and IT operations, thus responding to the ever-growing need of users for frequent and innovative new features and reliable performance and availability.

BCDR

BCDR stands for Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery.

BCDR is a plan or multiple emergency plans divided into two parts:

• Business Continuity (BC) includes emergency/transfer plans, staff replacement protocols and failover plans, which describe in detail the key services (IT infrastructure, communication channels) that are essential for business continuity, as well as measures to keep them running in difficult conditions.
• Disaster Recovery (DR) includes plans to be implemented in response to a catastrophic event, such as a natural disaster, fire, act of terrorism, shooting or cybercrime.

.The primary goal of BCDR is to minimise downtime and restart all systems and applications, minimising data loss and the overall impact on the organisation's activities.

Key points of BCDR plans are:

• Business Impact Analysis (BIA), i.e. analysis of the potential impacts of a disruption on the organisation's operations, resources and stakeholders.
• Risk assessment
• Business continuity plan
• Disaster recovery plan
• Testing
• List of procedures and policies
• Maintenance and updating

BYOD

BYOD stands for Bring Your Own Device.

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) refers to policies governing the use of personal devices such as computers and smartphones by employees, contractors, and other end users within the corporate network to access data and perform job duties.

The term is also used to describe the same practices applied to students who use their devices in educational settings.

MSP/MSSP

MSP stands for Managed Service Provider and MSSP stands for Managed Security Service Provider. 

MSP is a technology company that provides various types of IT services (networking, applications, infrastructure and security) to various user companies, ensuring constant and regular support and active management of the services themselves.

Compared to an MSP, an MSSP also provides security and 24/7 availability, with the aim of offering a comprehensive service to combat any breaches through rapid threat detection, thanks to the SOC's staff and expertise.

A managed security service provider (MSSP) therefore provides outsourced monitoring and management of security devices and systems, with the most common services including managed firewalls, intrusion detection, virtual private networks, vulnerability scanning and antivirus services.

And now a nice short greeting: HTH TC TY (I hope it helps, take care, thank you)!

In case you have any suggestions, corrections, and opinions, do not hesitate to send them in the comments.