Glossary

ARCHIVED 2024-08-15, DATE APPROXIMATE · VERSION 20240815_rev01 · COMPARED WITH 20240604_rev01

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 The unauthorized access or release of sensitive information, often due to a cyber attack or human error. Breaches occur when data stored in one system (often that of a business or government) ends up in unauthorized hands. A data breach can be harmful to both the owners of the database and the people whose data was released.
 [Database](https://brave.com/glossary/database/)
 A database is an organized collection of data, stored and accessed electronically, usually via a computer system. A database can be small or large, simple or complex depending on the situation. It can contain any type of information, and is a critical component of many computer systems.
+[DDoS](https://brave.com/glossary/ddos/)
+DDoS (short for distributed denial of service) is a type of cyber attack that disrupts a website or network to the point it can't perform its regular functions. A DDoS attack is a simple, direct attack that overwhelms the target's servers with requests for data or false credentials (like a bad IP address). The desired result of a DDoS attack is to either drastically reduce the target's ability to respond to legitimate business, or crash the servers altogether.
 [Deep Web](https://brave.com/glossary/deep-web/)
 The Deep Web is the portion of the Internet not indexed by traditional search engines. It often requires a login (such as a username and password) or special software to access. The part of the Web that's accessible using search engines-sometimes called the Surface Web-is actually just a small piece of the overall World Wide Web. The much larger, less visible, piece is called the Deep Web. Some estimates suggest that 90-95% of the overall World Wide Web is actually the Deep Web.
 [Digital footprint](https://brave.com/glossary/digital-footprint/)
 A filter list is a list of criteria that ad blockers and tracker blockers use to determine which content to block. This can include ads, trackers, pop-ups, cookie consent notifications, or other website annoyances.
 [Fingerprinting](https://brave.com/glossary/fingerprinting/)
 A fingerprint is a combination of many characteristics of your browser and device that uniquely identify you to a website. Fingerprinting is a tracking technique that doesn't rely on cookies, which more browsers are blocking by default.
+[Firewall](https://brave.com/glossary/firewall/)
+A firewall is a central element of a security program that monitors and controls traffic into and out of a device (like a phone or computer) or a whole network. A firewall is positioned between the secure device or network and an unsecured or untrusted network. All traffic between the two points must pass through the firewall, where it can be evaluated for satisfying predetermined security rules. Traffic that doesn't meet these rules is stopped at the firewall.
 [First-party ad](https://brave.com/glossary/first-party-ad/)
 A first-party ad is a Web ad whose content is loaded from the same domain as the page showing the ad. The domain is the part of the URL after the "://" and before the next slash. For example, the domain of this page's URL is "brave.com." The opposite of a first-party ad is a third-party ad, which is loaded from a different domain than the page showing the ad.
 ## G
 [Geolocation](https://brave.com/glossary/geolocation/)
 Geolocation is the process of determining the physical location of a device, either via GPS, cellular network, Wi-Fi system, Bluetooth signal, or IP address tracking. While some of these methods return only an approximate location, others can determine very precise location or even altitude.
 ## H
+[Hacktivism](https://brave.com/glossary/hacktivism/)
+Hacktivism (a portmanteau of the words hacking and activism) is the use of technology to achieve activism-related goals, such as accessing data or influencing another's network functionality. Both traditional activism and hacktivism attempt to influence political and social situations-the main difference being that a hacktivist will use computing tools to achieve their aims. Just as with traditional activism, the actions of a hacktivist may be viewed as legally ambiguous.
 [Hashing](https://brave.com/glossary/hashing/)
 Hashing transforms data of any size to an alphanumeric string of fixed and predetermined length. A hash function is irreversible, meaning it's not possible to determine the original input data based on the result of the hash function. This makes hashing ideal for secure data storage. Hashing can convert any type or volume of data, such as the title of a book, the entire text of a book, or the illustration file for the cover artwork. Each of these data items can be hashed to strings of the same fixed length. A hash function may aim to maximize the probability of uniqueness of the transformed data.
 [HTML](https://brave.com/glossary/html/)
 [HTTPS](https://brave.com/glossary/https/)
 HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol, Secure) is a secure version of HTTP, the standardized method by which Web browsers and Web servers talk to each other over a network. HTTPS generally protects data in transit between a server (where a website or app "lives") and the client (the phone or computer) you're browsing from. Some browsers now automatically upgrade sites to HTTPS, or will warn you if HTTPS isn't available; sites where HTTPS is not available should be visited with caution.
 ## I
+[Incident response](https://brave.com/glossary/incident-response/)
+An incident response is a series of actions taken by an organization when experiencing an event like a security breach or cyber attack. The actions taken to respond to the incident include preparation, detection, containment, eradication, and recovery. An incident can be any undesirable network or system activity that compromises computer and network security.
 [Information security](https://brave.com/glossary/information-security/)
 Information security refers to the tools and procedures an organization adopts to protect information and associated systems against unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction. All organizations deal with some type of information, from intellectual property to classified documents to the data of users or customers. Keeping this information safe can involve technology, physical security, and more.
+[Internet of Things](https://brave.com/glossary/iot/)
+The Internet of Things (IoT) is the network of physical devices, vehicles, home appliances, and other items connected to the Internet or one another and capable of exchanging data. The term Internet of Things encompasses both the devices and the network structure that supports the devices. While the Internet can be characterized as meant for sharing information and connecting people and organizations, the Internet of Things is about physical objects, specifically giving a user, another device, or a program the ability to monitor and control these physical objects remotely.
 [IP address](https://brave.com/glossary/ip-address/)
 An Internet Protocol (IP) address is a numerical label (like 203.0.113.43) that identifies a device on a network, and allows computers to talk to each other. Any device on any network will need an IP address so it can receive data from other devices; the IP address is how the network gets data to the right place. Some IP addresses are public, while others are private. Sometimes, your IP address can be used to identify and track you across sites and apps.
 [IPFS](https://brave.com/glossary/ipfs/)
 Essentially, metadata is data about data; it's often (though not always) machine-readable information that determines the structure or organization of human-readable information or content. Metadata can appear on websites, databases, or elsewhere.
 [Multi-factor authentication](https://brave.com/glossary/multi-factor-authentication/)
 Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a login process that requires multiple forms of proof of identity, often including a password, biometric data, or a security token. When logging in, a person provides an identity-such as a username or email-and then authenticates this identity by providing additional information such as a password. Each authenticating item is called a factor. MFA requires more than one factor to authenticate the individual's stated identity. A common MFA setup is a user ID followed by a password and then a 6-8 digit temporary code.
+## N
+[Network security](https://brave.com/glossary/network-security/)
+Network security refers to the processes and tools an organization uses to monitor their network, control access and detect unauthorized activity, and prevent damage to the network and theft of its data. Network security is concerned with who has access to what data, and what permissions they have regarding that data, as well as network use in general. The tools and processes of network security can be applied to protect both large organizations and small networks like a home or small office.
 ## O
 [OAuth](https://brave.com/glossary/oauth/)
 OAuth, short for "open authorization," is an open protocol commonly used to grant websites or apps access to user info stored on other websites, all without sharing passwords. With OAuth, a person can selectively and securely allow two websites to interact directly, with the goal of making a particular task easier. OAuth grants permission or authorization to access data, which is different from authenticating an identity (such as when a user logs into a service).
+[OIDC](https://brave.com/glossary/oidc/)
+OIDC (OpenID Connect) is an alternative login protocol where the service or application uses a third-party service to authenticate the user. OIDC is also used for single sign-on (SSO) applications that allow a user to log in once to access multiple, related applications. For the user, OIDC can provide better security while making the login process simpler. It can also support the services and applications that offer OIDC to users by shifting some security responsibility and coding efforts to the third-party authenticator.
 [Open source](https://brave.com/glossary/open-source/)
 Open-source software is software whose source code-the instructions that define what the software does-is published and freely available. The opposite of open source is closed source. Source code is human-readable, and software developers create software by writing it. To run software on a device, though, the source code has to be transformed into a form that's mostly unreadable to humans. That unreadable form is what you get when you download an app. Open-source software is often developed in a collaborative manner, and considered a public good, free for anybody to use. The Brave Browser, Linux operating system, and OpenOffice are examples of open-source software.
 ## P
 [VPN](https://brave.com/glossary/vpn/)
 A virtual private network (VPN) enables data to be sent from your device over the Internet (e.g. to a website) via an encrypted tunnel. VPNs can be used to remotely access private networks, or to shield personal info like your IP address, and generally allow for added privacy and security. But note that not all VPNs are created equal.
 ## W
+[Web scraping](https://brave.com/glossary/web-scraping/)
+Web scraping is the process of collecting publicly accessible content from a website and saving it in a database, file, or spreadsheet for later analysis. Web scraping is usually done leveraging bots (or Web crawlers) in combination with a control interface. Bots and crawlers are software designed to visit multiple websites, or pages within a website, and collect desired data about the contents of those sites and pages. Web scraping collects the data generated by crawling targeted websites, and processes the data to find the specific data desired. Web scraping can also be a manual process, but automated tools are far more efficient, and more common.
 [WebRTC](https://brave.com/glossary/webrtc/)
 WebRTC, an abbreviation for Web Real-Time Communication, is an Internet protocol that enables audio and video communication directly in Web browsers, as well as the exchange of data files. WebRTC supports applications like video conferencing (e.g. Zoom meetings), communication with Internet enabled devices (e.g. smart thermostats), online multi-person gaming, and more. WebRTC capabilities are embedded within the user's chosen browser, so there's no need to install or open separate software in order to connect with other people or devices.
 [Whitelist](https://brave.com/glossary/whitelist/)