67 terms
Website security terms
From login encryption to web filters, website security terms help you understand the digital protections that keep websites safe from cyberattacks. Whether you're managing your own site or just browsing, this vocabulary matters.
Pop-up
A pop-up is a window, picture, or menu that suddenly appears (i.e. “pops up”) on top of the main content of a webpage or application.
Certificate authority
A certificate authority (CA) is a trusted organization that issues digital certificates to verify the identity of websites, organizations, or individuals.
Phantom domain
A phantom domain refers to a domain name that exists but is not actively being used for a legitimate website or service.
Platform For Privacy Preferences Project
Platform For Privacy Preferences Project (P3P Project) refers to an obsolete protocol that was designed to help websites express their privacy practices in a standardized, machine-readable format.
Zombie cookies
Zombie cookies, also known as persistent cookies or evercookies, represent a type of HTTP cookie that recreates itself after deletion from a user's browser.
Wildcard certificate
A Wildcard certificate is a public key certificate that applies to multiple first-level subdomains of one domain, principally used to secure websites with HTTPS.
Website architecture
Website architecture is the structure and layout of a website.
Web server security
Web server security is a set of measures taken to protect data stored on a web server from unauthorized access.
Web security gateway
A web security gateway is a solution that provides strong cybersecurity measures to protect organizations' networks and users from various online dangers.
Web protection
Web protection encompasses a collection of security precautions to shield users and their devices during online activities.
Web filter
A web filter is a software tool that manages access to websites and other types of online content based on predefined rules.
Web content management
Web content management, or WCM, refers to the process of creating, managing, and optimizing digital content on a website through a web content management system such as WordPress.
Web content filtering
Web content filtering is the process of controlling access to certain websites or web content based on predefined criteria.
Web client
A web client is a software application that uses hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) to format, transmit, and receive requests, web content, services, or resources from web servers.
Web beacon
Web beacons are tracking technologies that gather information about visitors to websites.
Web-based application
A web-based application refers to a software application that runs on a web server, as opposed to software that runs locally on a device's operating system.
Web authorization management
Web authorization management refers to the process of granting or denying access to specific web resources based on a user's privileges within a system.
Web access management
Web access management (WAM) refers to a form of user identification and access management system that specifically deals with authenticating users and controlling their access to web resources.
Watering hole attack
A watering hole attack is a cyberattack in which the attacker guesses or observes websites frequently used by employees of a targeted organization and infects them with malware.
URL filtering
URL filtering is a technique used to control or restrict access to websites based on specific criteria.
URL encoding
URL encoding is a method to encode information in a URL by replacing unallowed characters with a percent sign (%) followed by two hexadecimal digits and spaces replaced by the plus sign (+) or %20.
Third-party cookie
Third-party cookies allow third parties to track and collect information about users’ browsing history that help advertisers create a more personalized user experience.
Static URL
Regarding cybersecurity, a static URL is a web address that doesn’t change, meaning that these URLs don’t operate or rely on variable parameters in displaying the content.
SSL/TLS proxy
An SSL/TLS proxy is a type of proxy that uses the Transport Layer Security protocol to encrypt and decrypt the flow of data between a client and a server.
Spam blog
A spam blog is a website (typically a blog) that exists for the purpose of manipulating search engine rankings to promote another page or service.
Session token
A session token is a unique identifier created when a user logs in to a website or app.
Security certificate
A security certificate is a small data file used to confirm the authenticity, identity, and reliability of a website or web application.
Secure Electronic Transactions
Secure Electronic Transactions (SET) is a protocol that ensures safe online transactions and safeguards sensitive information.
Secure cookie
A Secure cookie is an HTTP cookie with a Secure attribute set.
Rich internet application
A rich internet application is a web application that has similar functionality to a desktop app.
Portal application
A portal application aggregates information from various sources and presents them in a user-friendly and customizable interface.
Persistent cookie
Persistent cookies are small text files on users’ devices that track users’ data for an extended period even if the user logged out of the website or closed their browser.
Permalink
A permalink is the full URL of a website, post, or service that is expected to remain unchanged with the passage of time.
Pagejacking
Pagejacking is when someone copies a web page from another website without permission and shows it as if it's their own.
OWASP
OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project) is a non-profit organization that provides resources and tools designed to improve the security of software applications.
Multi-domain SSL
Multi-domain SSL is a SSL/TLS certificate that allows users to secure multiple domain names with a single certificate.
Minification
Minification, also called code minification or file minimization, expunges all superfluous characters from a source code without affecting its operational capacity.
Internet security
Internet security is the branch of cybersecurity that deals with software, hardware, and policy measures that protect users from online threats.
Inline frame
An inline frame, or iframe, is an HTML element that allows for embedding a separate HTML document within the body of another HTML document.
Infotainment
Infotainment is a combination of two words: entertainment and information.
HTTPS
HTTPS is an internet protocol that encrypts data between a user's device and a website.
HTTP Strict Transport Security
HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) operates as a web safety policy tool, safeguarding websites from a range of cyber threats, such as protocol downgrade assaults and cookie theft.
HTTP header
An HTTP header is a field in an HTTP request or response that carries additional context about the request, including its metadata.
HTML5
HTML5 is the fifth and latest major version of the HTML standard.
HTML tag
HTML tag is a string of text that specifies how content should be displayed in a web browser.
Hotlink
A hotlink directly links an object, such as an image or video, hosted on one website to another without the original site's permission.
Frape
A frape happens when someone changes another person’s information on social media without them knowing or giving permission.
Form authentication
Form authentication is a user authentication method used by web applications.
First-party cookie
A first-party cookie is a tiny text file that gathers user information, such as website settings and login data, that they enter while using the web.
Evergreen browser
An evergreen browser is a web browser that automatically updates itself to the latest version without manual intervention.
Dynamic website
A dynamic website is a type of website where content can be changed or customized based on user interaction, time, location, or any other factors.
Dynamic URL
A Dynamic URL is like a customizable web address that changes based on what you're looking for on a website.
Dwell time
Dwell time is the time a user spends on a web page after clicking a search engine result or a link.
Content security policy
Content security policy (CSP) is a security standard that web developers implement to prevent certain types of security breaches, such as cross-site scripting (XSS) and data injection attacks.
Cobweb site
A cobweb site is a web page that’s not been updated for a long time but is still available online.
Co-browsing
Co-browsing (short for “collaborative browsing”) is a mode of interaction where multiple users navigate the same piece of content online simultaneously.
Cloaking
Cloaking is a black hat search engine optimization (SEO) technique to show search engines and human users different versions of the same website.
Certificate pinning
Certificate pinning, also known as HTTP Public Key Pinning (HPKP), is a security mechanism that enhances the trust and security of a website's SSL connection.
Certificate management
Certificate management refers to the process of managing digital certificates, electronic files used to verify the identity of individuals, systems, and devices on a network.
CAPTCHA
CAPTCHA is a security measure used to verify that a user is not a bot (computer program) trying to access the site.
Browser sandboxing
Browser sandboxing, alternatively termed web browser sandboxing, signifies a safety mechanism employed within web browsers designed to segregate online activity from the broader system operations.
Browser isolation
Browser isolation is a piece of software that contains your web browsing activity inside an environment that is isolated or separated from your devices and networks.
Browser caching
Browser caching is a process where web browsers store copies of web pages, including text, images, and other content, on your device.
ActiveX
ActiveX is an object-oriented programming tool developed by Microsoft for Internet Explorer to facilitate rich media playback.
Active content
Active content is digital content or web elements that can execute code or perform actions within a webpage or an application.
301 redirect
A 301 redirect is a permanent redirection from one URL to another.
The importance of website security terminology
Understanding website security terms isn’t just for IT professionals — it helps anyone stay safe online. Knowing the language can reveal how attacks happen and how to avoid them.
Boost your knowledge
Recognizing terms like “XSS” or “SQL injection” helps you spot common hacking methods — and avoid them before damage is done.
Understand the ins and outs of cybersecurity
Many website threats aim to steal data. Knowing what tools (like HTTPS or two-factor authentication) are in place can give you peace of mind.
Bring peace of mind into your online life
Whether you’re entering credit card info or running a site, understanding key terms helps you make smarter security choices.
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