Home Website security terms

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.

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.

Two women learning cybersecurity terminology.

Online security starts with a click.

Stay safe with the world’s leading VPN

Can’t find an answer to your question?

Ask the questions that matter to you — and get answers from our cybersecurity experts.