Reference · Cybersecurity Resources
Cyber Security Glossary
Plain-English definitions for MDR, zero trust, phishing, ransomware and the other terms that come up most in first conversations with Liyatech's team.
Cyber security conversations get technical fast. This glossary is grouped the way the terms actually come up: the attacks you're defending against, the tools that defend you, and the compliance obligations that sit around both. Bookmark it, or send it to whoever on your team is trying to keep up.
Threats
The attack types your team is most likely to hear about — from a security vendor, the news, or an actual incident.
Phishing
A fake email, SMS or website designed to trick someone into handing over a password, clicking a malicious link, or paying a fraudulent invoice. Still the single most common way attackers get into a business.
Business Email Compromise (BEC)
A scam where an attacker impersonates a real executive, supplier or colleague — often from a hijacked or look-alike email account — to redirect a payment or request sensitive data.
Ransomware
Malicious software that encrypts a company's files and systems, with the attacker demanding payment for the decryption key. Increasingly paired with a threat to leak stolen data if the ransom isn't paid.
Malware
The umbrella term for any software written to damage, disrupt or gain unauthorised access to a system — ransomware, spyware and viruses are all types of malware.
Infostealer
Malware that quietly harvests saved passwords, browser sessions and other credentials from an infected device, then sends them back to the attacker to sell or use directly.
Social Engineering
Manipulating a person, rather than a system, into breaking normal security procedure — a fake IT helpdesk call asking for a password reset is a classic example.
DDoS Attack (Distributed Denial of Service)
An attempt to knock a website or online service offline by flooding it with more traffic than it can handle, usually from a large network of compromised devices.
Zero-Day
A software flaw that's being exploited by attackers before the vendor has released a fix. Because there's no patch yet, layered defences matter more than patching alone.
Defences
The tools and services a managed security provider like Liyatech puts in place to prevent, catch and stop the threats above.
MDR (Managed Detection & Response)
A service where a security team monitors your environment around the clock, investigates suspicious activity, and actively contains threats — rather than just sending you an alert to deal with yourself.
EDR (Endpoint Detection & Response)
Software installed on laptops, servers and other devices that watches for suspicious behaviour and can isolate an infected device automatically. Usually the technology that sits underneath an MDR service.
SIEM (Security Information & Event Management)
A platform that collects log data from across your network, servers and cloud apps into one place, so patterns that look harmless individually can be spotted as a coordinated attack.
SOC (Security Operations Centre)
The team — in-house or outsourced — responsible for monitoring, detecting and responding to security incidents. A CSOC (Cyber SOC) usually runs on a 24/7/365 basis.
Zero Trust
A security model built on "never trust, always verify" — every user and device has to prove who they are for every request, instead of being trusted automatically just because they're inside the network.
MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication)
Requiring more than just a password to log in — typically a code from an app or a fingerprint — so a stolen password alone isn't enough to get into an account.
Patch Management
The ongoing process of applying security updates to software and systems, closing known vulnerabilities before attackers can exploit them.
Endpoint Protection
Software installed directly on devices to block known malware and risky behaviour — the modern, cloud-connected successor to traditional antivirus.
Governance & Compliance
The obligations and roles that sit around your technical defences, particularly under South Africa's data protection law.
POPIA (Protection of Personal Information Act)
South Africa's data protection law, setting out how businesses may collect, use and store personal information, and what they must do if that information is breached. See our full POPIA Compliance Hub for detail.
Information Officer
The person a business must appoint under POPIA to take responsibility for compliance with the Act, including handling data subject requests and reporting breaches to the Information Regulator.
Data Breach
Any incident where personal or confidential information is accessed, disclosed or lost without authorisation — whether through an attack, a misconfiguration, or human error.
Incident Response Plan
The documented, rehearsed plan a business follows the moment a security incident is discovered — who's notified, what's isolated, and how operations keep running while it's contained.
"The businesses that recover fastest from an incident are the ones who understood the terms before they needed them — not during the incident itself."
Prince Siboze, IT Operations Manager, Liyatech Solutions
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