IT AND AI GLOSSARY
IT & AI Glossary
Key terms in AI, IT, security, cloud and automation: clearly defined, explained and linked.
156 terms
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A
- AI AgentAn AI agent is an AI system that pursues a given goal in several steps largely on its own: it plans, uses tools such as search, databases or line-of-business applications, and evaluates intermediate results.Artificial Intelligence
- AI GovernanceAI governance is the organizational framework of rules, roles, and controls that a company uses to manage the use of artificial intelligence, limit risks, and clearly assign responsibility.Artificial Intelligence
- AI LiteracyAI literacy refers to the knowledge and skills needed to use AI systems competently and to assess their opportunities and risks. Since February 2, 2025, the EU AI Act has required providers and deployers to take measures to this end.Artificial Intelligence
- AnonymizationAnonymization alters personal data so that individuals can no longer be identified with reasonable effort. Effectively anonymized data no longer falls under the GDPR.Legal & Compliance
- API (Application Programming Interface)An API (Application Programming Interface) is a defined interface that lets programs communicate with each other and exchange data or functions without knowing the inner workings of the other system.Software & Automation
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to computer systems that solve tasks that previously required human thinking – such as understanding language, recognizing patterns, creating texts, or preparing decisions.Artificial Intelligence
- Azure Virtual DesktopAzure Virtual Desktop (AVD) is a Microsoft service that delivers Windows desktops and individual applications from the Azure cloud. Users access it through a client app or the browser.Cloud & Microsoft 365
- Azure VPN GatewayAzure VPN Gateway connects on-premises networks or individual devices to virtual networks in Microsoft Azure over an encrypted connection. Depending on the connection type, it uses IPsec/IKE, OpenVPN or SSTP.Cloud & Microsoft 365
B
- Backup and RecoveryA backup is a separately stored copy of data or system states. Recovery describes the planned restart; only verified restore paths show whether backups can actually be used in an emergency.Data & Backup
- Bias (AI)In AI, bias refers to systematic distortions that cause a model to favor or disadvantage certain groups or characteristics. A common cause is unbalanced training data.Artificial Intelligence
- BSI IT-GrundschutzBSI IT-Grundschutz is the methodology of the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) that organizations use to build information security systematically. The BSI standards describe the approach, and the IT-Grundschutz Compendium provides concrete requirements for typical systems and processes.Legal & Compliance
- Building AutomationBuilding automation connects sensors, actuators, controllers and user interfaces so that lighting, shading, indoor climate and energy work together according to agreed rules. Planning and specialist trades are clearly defined for each project.Software & Automation
- Business Continuity Management (BCM)Business Continuity Management (BCM) is a management approach that a company uses to ensure that its critical business processes continue to run even during severe disruptions, or restart within an acceptable time.Legal & Compliance
- Business Email Compromise (BEC)Business Email Compromise (BEC) is fraud using spoofed or hijacked business email accounts, which attackers use to trigger transfers, change bank details, or obtain confidential information.Security
C
- Change Management (IT)Change management (IT) is the process used to plan, assess, approve, implement and document changes to IT systems so that updates and rebuilds cause as few unplanned disruptions as possible.IT Operations & Service
- CI/CDCI/CD stands for continuous integration and continuous delivery or continuous deployment. Code changes are merged continuously, built and tested automatically, and then delivered reproducibly to test and production environments.Software Development
- CIS BenchmarksCIS Benchmarks are configuration recommendations from the Center for Internet Security for securely setting up operating systems, cloud services, databases, network devices, and applications. They are developed through a consensus process and are available free of charge as PDFs for non-commercial use.Security
- CISA KEV (Known Exploited Vulnerabilities)CISA KEV (Known Exploited Vulnerabilities) is a public catalog from the US cybersecurity agency CISA that lists vulnerabilities attackers are verifiably already exploiting. It is considered an important aid worldwide for prioritizing updates by real urgency.Security
- Claude (Anthropic)Claude is a family of large language models from the AI company Anthropic. Claude understands and generates text, analyzes images and documents, writes code, and can operate tools through interfaces.Artificial Intelligence
- Claude CodeClaude Code is an agentic coding tool from Anthropic. It reads a project's codebase, edits files, runs commands, and works with Git and other development tools.Software Development
- Cloud MigrationCloud migration means moving applications, data and IT infrastructure from your own server room or data center to a cloud environment, or between different cloud providers.Cloud & Microsoft 365
- Code ReviewCode review is the systematic examination of source code changes by at least one other person before they are merged into the main line of a piece of software. The goal is changes that are correct, understandable, secure, and maintainable.Software Development
- Composer (PHP)Composer is the tool for managing dependencies in PHP projects. It reads the required libraries from the composer.json file, installs them into the project in suitable versions and records the exact installed versions in composer.lock.Software Development
- Conditional AccessConditional Access is a feature of Microsoft Entra ID. It evaluates sign-ins based on conditions such as user, device, location, and risk, and allows, restricts, or blocks access.Cloud & Microsoft 365
- Context WindowThe context window is the maximum amount of text that a language model can take into account in a single request. It is measured in tokens and includes instructions, conversation history, documents, and usually also the answer.Artificial Intelligence
- Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure (CVD)Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure (CVD) is a structured process in which a security vulnerability is first reported confidentially to the vendor or operator and published only once a fix is available or an agreed deadline expires.Security
- Credential StuffingCredential stuffing is an automated attack in which stolen username and password combinations are tried en masse on other online services. It works because many people use the same password for several accounts.Security
- CSAF (Common Security Advisory Framework)CSAF (Common Security Advisory Framework) is an open OASIS standard for machine-readable security advisories. Vendors use it to describe vulnerabilities, affected product versions, and remediations in a uniform JSON format that can be matched automatically against your own inventory.Security
- CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures)CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) is the globally used catalog of publicly known security vulnerabilities, in which each vulnerability receives a unique identifier such as CVE-2024-3094. This ensures that vendors, security tools, and IT teams verifiably refer to the same flaw.Security
- CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System)CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) is an open standard from the FIRST forum that expresses the technical severity of a vulnerability as a value between 0.0 and 10.0. The value says how severe a vulnerability is, not how likely it is to be exploited in your environment.Security
- CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration)CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) is a public catalog operated by MITRE of typical types of flaws in software and hardware that lead to security vulnerabilities, such as SQL injection or missing authorization checks. CWE describes the cause, a CVE the specific individual case.Security
- Cyber Resilience Act (CRA)The Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), Regulation (EU) 2024/2847, sets mandatory cybersecurity requirements for products with digital elements, that is, for connected hardware and software on the EU market. Manufacturers must ensure security throughout the entire lifecycle and report exploited vulnerabilities.Legal & Compliance
D
- Data Processing Agreement (DPA)A data processing agreement (DPA) is required when a service provider processes personal data on behalf of and on the instructions of a company. The GDPR prescribes this contract; in German, it is called Auftragsverarbeitungsvertrag (AVV).Legal & Compliance
- Data ResidencyData residency refers to the geographic location where a provider stores and processes data. It matters to companies because it helps them demonstrably meet data protection, contractual and industry requirements.Cloud & Microsoft 365
- Deep LearningDeep learning is a machine learning method that works with multilayer neural networks and can therefore recognize complex patterns in images, spoken language, and text.Artificial Intelligence
- Disaster RecoveryDisaster recovery (DR) refers to the plans, technology, and procedures used to restore IT systems and data within a defined time after a major outage, for example caused by ransomware, fire, or hardware failure.Data & Backup
- DNSDNS (Domain Name System) translates names such as www.example.com into the IP addresses that computers need to communicate. It is a fundamental service of the internet and of every corporate network.Network & Infrastructure
- DNS FilterDNS filters block access to malicious or unwanted websites by checking the name resolution itself. Known phishing and malware domains are therefore never reached in the first place.Security
- DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act)DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act) is Regulation (EU) 2022/2554 on digital operational resilience for the financial sector. It has applied since January 17, 2025, and requires banks, insurers, investment firms, and other financial entities to follow uniform rules for ICT risks, incidents, testing, and service providers.Legal & Compliance
E
- Email ArchivingEmail archiving refers to the complete, tamper-proof, and long-term searchable retention of business emails in order to meet retention obligations and find information even years later.Data & Backup
- EmbeddingAn embedding is a representation of text, images, or other data as a numeric vector in which content with similar meaning lies close together. Embeddings enable search by meaning instead of by keywords.Artificial Intelligence
- Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) continuously monitors endpoints such as laptops and servers for suspicious behavior, reports attacks and enables rapid countermeasures such as isolating a device.Security
- Enterprise Wi-FiEnterprise Wi-Fi is a centrally managed wireless network for company devices and guests that makes coverage, capacity, and security predictable, for example through individual sign-in, separate networks, and central management.Network & Infrastructure
- EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System)EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a freely available model from the FIRST forum that estimates, for every published CVE, how likely it is to actually be exploited in the next 30 days. The score ranges from 0 to 1 and is recalculated daily.Security
- EU AI ActEU AI Act is the common name for Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 on artificial intelligence. It regulates AI systems according to their risk and sets obligations for providers and deployers.Legal & Compliance
- Exchange OnlineExchange Online is Microsoft's cloud service for email, calendars and contacts. It is part of Microsoft 365 and, in many companies, replaces the in-house Exchange server in the server room.Cloud & Microsoft 365
- Explainable AI (XAI)Explainable AI (XAI) comprises methods that make the decisions and results of AI models understandable to humans, for example by showing which features influenced a result.Artificial Intelligence
- ExploitAn exploit is a method or piece of program code that deliberately takes advantage of a security vulnerability to execute commands or functions on a system that are not intended there. It turns a known vulnerability into a concrete attack.Security
- Extended Detection and Response (XDR)Extended Detection and Response (XDR) refers to security solutions that analyze signals from endpoints, identities, email and cloud applications together, link related alerts into one incident and trigger countermeasures across these areas.Security
F
- Fine-TuningFine-tuning refers to further training an already pretrained AI model with a smaller, specifically selected dataset in order to adapt it to a particular task, technical language, or output format.Artificial Intelligence
- FirewallFirewalls control data traffic between networks or on a device and allow only connections permitted by defined rules. This makes firewalls one of the basic building blocks of any network security.Network & Infrastructure
- Foundation ModelA foundation model is a large AI model that has been pre-trained on very extensive, broad data and can be used or adapted for many different tasks.Artificial Intelligence
- FTPFTP stands for File Transfer Protocol and is used to transfer and manage files between client and server. The original FTP encrypts neither credentials nor file transfers.Network & Infrastructure
- Function Calling (Tool Use)Function calling, also called tool use, is the ability of a language model to return a structured call to a previously described function instead of a text answer. The application executes the call and returns the result to the model.Artificial Intelligence
G
- GDPRGDPR is short for the EU General Data Protection Regulation (in German: DSGVO). It has applied directly in all member states since May 25, 2018, and governs the conditions under which personal data may be processed.Legal & Compliance
- Generative AIGenerative AI refers to AI systems that create new content based on learned patterns – such as text, images, audio, program code, or videos – instead of merely analyzing or classifying existing data.Artificial Intelligence
- GitGit is a distributed version control system that stores changes to files as traceable snapshots. Teams use it to work on code, configurations, and documentation in parallel, merge changes, and restore any earlier state.Software Development
- Graphics Card / GPUA GPU is a processor for many calculations that can run in parallel. It renders graphics and can accelerate video processing, simulations or AI applications, among other things. A graphics card contains the GPU and additional hardware.Hardware & Systems
- Guardrails (AI)Guardrails are technical and organizational safeguards that define what an AI application may process, output, and trigger. They check inputs and outputs, limit privileges, and make errors and misuse visible.Artificial Intelligence
H
- Hallucination (AI)A hallucination is an output of an AI model that sounds convincing but is factually wrong or entirely made up – such as a non-existent source, an incorrect date, or a fabricated product feature.Artificial Intelligence
- HTTPHTTP stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol. It describes how browsers and other programs request resources from web servers and exchange responses. HTTPS adds protected transport to web access.Network & Infrastructure
- Human in the LoopHuman in the loop refers to processes in which a person checks, approves or corrects the results of an AI or automation system before they take effect.Artificial Intelligence
I
- IaaS, PaaS, and SaaSIaaS, PaaS, and SaaS are the three basic service models of cloud computing. They differ in how much of the IT environment the provider operates and what the customer company remains responsible for itself.Cloud & Microsoft 365
- Immutable BackupAn immutable backup is a data backup that, once written, can neither be changed nor deleted for a defined period. This protects backups against ransomware, sabotage, and accidental deletion.Data & Backup
- Incident ResponseIncident response is the planned approach to IT security incidents: detecting, containing, and eradicating an attack, restoring systems, and learning from it to limit damage and downtime.Security
- Information Security Management System (ISMS)ISMS stands for information security management system: the entirety of rules, responsibilities, processes, and controls that a company uses to manage and improve information security on an ongoing basis.Legal & Compliance
- Infrastructure as Code (IaC)Infrastructure as Code (IaC) describes servers, networks and cloud resources in machine-readable files that are versioned and applied automatically instead of being set up manually.Software & Automation
- ISO/IEC 27001ISO/IEC 27001 is the international standard for information security management systems (ISMS). It specifies the requirements an ISMS must meet and is the basis for independent certification.Legal & Compliance
- IT Asset ManagementIT asset management (ITAM) records and manages a company's hardware, software, licenses and cloud subscriptions over their entire lifecycle, from procurement through operation to secure retirement.IT Operations & Service
- IT DocumentationIT documentation describes in a traceable way which systems, networks, accounts, and processes make up a company's IT, how they are interconnected, and how they are operated in normal operation and in an emergency.IT Operations & Service
- IT MonitoringIT monitoring is the continuous, automated surveillance of servers, networks, services, and applications. It detects disruptions, bottlenecks, and outages before they noticeably affect operations.IT Operations & Service
- IT Onboarding and OffboardingIT onboarding and offboarding cover all IT steps when employees join and leave: accounts, permissions, devices and licenses are provided in good time and fully revoked when someone leaves.IT Operations & Service
- IT Risk AnalysisIT risk analysis refers to the systematic identification and assessment of risks to IT systems and information. It shows which protective measures take priority and which risks are deliberately accepted.Legal & Compliance
- IT Service Management (ITSM)IT service management (ITSM) comprises the processes, roles, and tools that an IT organization uses to deliver its offerings as plannable, measurable services for employees and business departments.IT Operations & Service
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L
- LaravelLaravel is an open-source PHP framework for web applications and APIs. It provides ready-made building blocks for routing, database access, authentication, queues and tests, and gives projects a consistent structure.Software Development
- Large Language Model (LLM)A large language model (LLM) is a language model trained on very large amounts of text that can understand, summarize, translate, and rephrase texts.Artificial Intelligence
- Leak MonitoringLeak monitoring watches data leaks, underground forums, and collections of stolen credentials for a company's data, such as email addresses with passwords, so that it can respond quickly.Security
- Least PrivilegeLeast privilege, the principle of minimal rights, states that people, programs and systems receive only the permissions they actually need for their task, and only for as long as necessary.Security
- Local LLMA local LLM is a large language model that runs on the company's own hardware or in a self-controlled environment instead of being used via an AI provider's cloud service. Inputs and outputs do not have to leave your own infrastructure.Artificial Intelligence
- Low-CodeLow-code refers to development platforms that let you build applications and workflows mainly through graphical interfaces, templates, and ready-made connectors instead of coding them entirely.Software & Automation
- LoxoneLoxone is one possible technology for controlling and visualizing building functions. Suitability, components, interfaces and scope are checked for each building. No partner or certification status is claimed.Software & Automation
M
- Machine LearningMachine learning is a subfield of artificial intelligence in which software derives patterns from sample data instead of having every rule explicitly programmed.Artificial Intelligence
- MalwareMalware is the umbrella term for software developed with malicious intent, for example to steal data, manipulate systems, control devices remotely, or encrypt files.Security
- Managed ITManaged IT bundles clearly agreed tasks for ongoing IT operations. These can include monitoring, backup, security controls and updates, with defined responsibilities and traceable processes.IT Operations & Service
- MFA FatigueMFA fatigue is an attack method in which perpetrators with stolen credentials keep sending sign-in requests to the victim's smartphone until the victim approves one out of frustration or by mistake. The terms MFA bombing and push spam are also common.Security
- Microsoft 365Microsoft 365 is a Microsoft subscription offering that combines Office applications such as Word, Excel, and Outlook with cloud services for email, collaboration, file storage, and device management.Cloud & Microsoft 365
- Microsoft AzureMicrosoft Azure is Microsoft's cloud platform. It provides computing power, storage, networks, databases and AI services from data centers in many regions of the world and is billed by usage.Cloud & Microsoft 365
- Microsoft CopilotMicrosoft Copilot is Microsoft's AI assistant for working with Microsoft 365 and was previously called Microsoft 365 Copilot. It works in Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams with your own company data; the chat for all eligible accounts is now called Microsoft Copilot Chat.Artificial Intelligence
- Microsoft DefenderMicrosoft Defender refers to several security services for devices, identities, email, cloud applications, and other areas. Which components make sense depends on licenses, protection needs, and existing architecture.Security
- Microsoft Entra IDMicrosoft Entra ID is Microsoft's service for identities and access. It manages users, sign-ins, applications and policies, for example. It only protects effectively together with devices, roles and verifiable access rules.Cloud & Microsoft 365
- Microsoft IntuneMicrosoft Intune is a Microsoft cloud service for managing and securing endpoints and apps. It distributes settings, applications, and security policies to Windows PCs, Macs, smartphones, and tablets.Cloud & Microsoft 365
- Microsoft Power AutomateMicrosoft Power Automate is the automation service of the Microsoft Power Platform. With cloud flows, it connects applications and services through connectors; with desktop flows, it automates processes in Windows and web applications as an RPA solution.Software & Automation
- Microsoft TeamsMicrosoft Teams is the platform for chat, online meetings, telephony and collaboration in Microsoft 365. It bundles conversations, files and applications in shared workspaces.Cloud & Microsoft 365
- MITRE ATT&CKMITRE ATT&CK is a globally and freely accessible knowledge base of attacker tactics and techniques based on observations of real attacks. Security teams use it as a common language to describe attacks, plan detection, and find gaps in their defenses.Security
- Model Context Protocol (MCP)Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard through which AI applications access external tools, data sources, and services in a uniform way, without needing a separate integration for every combination.Artificial Intelligence
- Multi-CloudMulti-cloud refers to the parallel use of cloud services from several providers. Companies can distribute tasks across different platforms, but must plan identities, security, data flows and operations together.Cloud & Microsoft 365
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)Multi-factor authentication (MFA) confirms a sign-in with at least two independent factors, such as a password and a smartphone app. A stolen password alone is then no longer enough for access.Security
- Multimodal AIMultimodal AI refers to AI systems that process and connect several types of data such as text, images, speech, or video together – for example to describe a photo or answer a question about a chart.Artificial Intelligence
N
- n8nn8n is a workflow automation platform that connects applications, databases and AI models into workflows via a visual editor. It can be used as a cloud service or self-hosted and is available under a fair-code license.Software & Automation
- Natural Language Processing (NLP)NLP (natural language processing) is the field of AI that enables computers to process, analyze, and generate human language in text and speech form.Artificial Intelligence
- Network SegmentationNetwork segmentation divides a corporate network into separate zones between which only explicitly permitted traffic flows. Attacks and disruptions thus remain limited to one part of the network.Network & Infrastructure
- Neural NetworkA neural network is a computational model made up of many interconnected artificial neurons that learns from example data. It forms the technical basis of deep learning and modern language models.Artificial Intelligence
- NIS2NIS2 is an EU cybersecurity directive with requirements for risk management, accountability, and reporting. Whether and how it applies to a company depends on its specific activity and on national implementation.Legal & Compliance
O
- OPcacheOPcache is the extension built into PHP that stores precompiled bytecode of PHP scripts in shared memory. As a result, PHP does not have to reload and recompile scripts on every request, which reduces response times and server load.Software Development
- OT SecurityOT security refers to the protection of operational technology, that is, the systems that control and monitor physical processes, such as production plants, machine controls and building technology.Network & Infrastructure
- OWASP Top 10 for LLM ApplicationsThe OWASP Top 10 for LLM Applications is a list of the ten most important security risks for applications with large language models. The OWASP GenAI Security Project publishes it as guidance for development, testing, and operations; the current edition is the 2026 edition from August 2026.Artificial Intelligence
P
- PasskeyA passkey is a passwordless sign-in method based on cryptography with key pairs. The private key stays on the device or in the password manager and is unlocked with a fingerprint, face, or PIN.Security
- Password ManagerPassword managers store credentials encrypted in a central place, generate strong passwords and fill them in when signing in. In companies, they also enable the controlled sharing of access.Security
- Patch ManagementPatch management refers to the planned assessment, testing, distribution, and monitoring of software updates for operating systems, applications, and devices in order to close security vulnerabilities and keep systems stable.IT Operations & Service
- Penetration TestA penetration test, or pentest for short, is a commissioned, controlled attack on IT systems, applications, or networks to find vulnerabilities and assess how exploitable they actually are.Security
- PhishingPhishing refers to fraudulent messages that pose as trustworthy senders in order to obtain credentials, payments or the execution of malware.Security
- PHPPHP (recursive acronym for "PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor") is a widely used open-source scripting language that is especially suited for web development. PHP code runs on the server and generates HTML, JSON or other responses for browsers and applications there.Software Development
- PHP End of Life (EOL)PHP End of Life (EOL) refers to the point in time from which a PHP version no longer receives bug fixes or security updates from the PHP project. Each version is actively supported for two years and receives security fixes for two further years.Software Development
- PHP-FPMPHP-FPM (FastCGI Process Manager) is PHP's primary FastCGI implementation. It runs pools of PHP processes to which a web server such as nginx or Apache forwards requests, and controls how many processes run under which user.Software Development
- Privileged Access Management (PAM)Privileged Access Management (PAM) comprises procedures and tools that companies use to secure, grant in a controlled way, and log particularly powerful accounts such as administrator and service accounts.Security
- Process AutomationProcess automation transfers recurring, rule-based work to connected systems. Exceptions, permissions, and human approvals deliberately remain part of the process.Software & Automation
- Progressive Web App (PWA)A progressive web app (PWA) is a web application that behaves like an installed app: it can be placed on the home screen or desktop and, depending on the implementation, can also work offline.Software & Automation
- PromptA prompt is the input used to steer an AI model, usually a question or instruction in natural language, often supplemented with context, examples and requirements for the desired result.Artificial Intelligence
- Prompt EngineeringPrompt engineering is the systematic design, testing, and improvement of inputs for AI models so that they respond reliably, in the desired format, and appropriately for the respective task.Artificial Intelligence
- Prompt InjectionPrompt injection is an attack on AI applications in which manipulated inputs or hidden instructions in documents, emails, or web pages cause a language model to disregard its actual instructions.Artificial Intelligence
- PseudonymizationPseudonymization replaces names and other direct identifiers with codes so that data can no longer be attributed to a person without separately stored additional information.Legal & Compliance
R
- RansomwareRansomware is malware that encrypts data or locks systems and demands a ransom for their release. The perpetrators often also threaten to publish stolen data.Security
- Remote SupportRemote support refers to IT support from a distance: technicians access a device via a secured connection to analyze disruptions, adjust settings, or set up software.IT Operations & Service
- Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) combines a search in your own documents with a language model: matching passages are found first and then passed to the model as the basis for its answer.Artificial Intelligence
- Robotic Process Automation (RPA)RPA (robotic process automation) automates rule-based routine tasks on the computer: software robots operate user interfaces like a human, click, transfer data, and check values.Software & Automation
- RPO and RTORPO and RTO are key metrics in contingency planning: the recovery point objective defines the maximum permissible data loss, and the recovery time objective defines the required recovery time from the moment an emergency is declared. The RTO is derived from the maximum tolerable period of disruption (MTPD) of the business process and must be shorter than it.Data & Backup
S
- SBOM (Software Bill of Materials)An SBOM (software bill of materials) is a machine-readable list of all components, libraries and dependencies that make up a piece of software, including versions and origin. When a new vulnerability emerges, it lets you quickly clarify whether a product is affected.Security
- SD-WANSD-WAN (software-defined wide area network) connects company sites via multiple links such as fiber, mobile networks, or MPLS and controls data traffic centrally via software according to application and link quality.Network & Infrastructure
- Security AwarenessSecurity awareness enables people to recognize typical attack attempts, handle data and access securely, and report suspicious situations through known channels.Security
- Security Operations Center (SOC)A security operations center (SOC) is a team with defined processes and tools that continuously monitors the IT environment for security incidents, assesses alerts and responds in a coordinated way to attacks.Security
- Service DeskThe service desk is the central point of contact between IT and employees. It receives disruptions, questions, and requests, records them as tickets, and resolves them or forwards them to the responsible specialist teams.IT Operations & Service
- Service Level Agreement (SLA)A service level agreement (SLA) is an agreement between a service provider and a client that defines in measurable terms which service is delivered at what quality, such as service hours, response times, and availability.IT Operations & Service
- Shadow AIShadow AI refers to the use of AI tools, especially generative AI, without the knowledge, approval, or control of a company's IT, data protection, and information security functions.Artificial Intelligence
- SharePointSharePoint is the Microsoft platform for document storage, intranet and collaboration. In Microsoft 365, SharePoint Online also stores the files from Teams and serves as the central storage location for company content.Cloud & Microsoft 365
- SIEMSIEM stands for security information and event management. A SIEM collects log data from many IT systems centrally, correlates it, and uses it to detect security-relevant events and attack patterns.Security
- Single Sign-On (SSO)Single sign-on (SSO) means that employees sign in once and can then use several applications without entering a password again. A central identity provider confirms their identity to the services.Cloud & Microsoft 365
- Smart OfficeA smart office connects digital workflows with room functions such as occupancy, lighting, shading, climate and controls. It makes sense when usage, data protection, manual intervention and technical operations are planned together.Software & Automation
- Social EngineeringSocial engineering refers to attacks that deliberately manipulate people into disclosing confidential information, initiating payments, or bypassing security rules. Technology often plays only a minor role.Security
- Speech Recognition (Speech-To-Text)Speech recognition (speech-to-text) automatically converts spoken language into written text. It is the foundation for dictation, meeting minutes, subtitles, and voice control.Artificial Intelligence
- Supply Chain AttackA supply chain attack is a cyberattack that reaches a company via a trusted supplier, service provider or a software component in use. Attackers first compromise the supplier and then exploit the customers' trust in it.Security
- System HardeningSystem hardening is the targeted securing of operating systems, applications, and devices by removing unnecessary functions, applying secure settings, and reducing attack surfaces.Security
- System PromptA system prompt is the overarching instruction with which the operators of an AI application specify a language model's role, task, rules, and limits. It precedes the actual conversation and is usually not visible to users.Artificial Intelligence
T
- Technical and Organizational Measures (TOMs)Technical and organizational measures (TOMs) are the safeguards a company uses under Art. 32 GDPR to ensure the security of personal data, from encryption and access protection to training.Legal & Compliance
- Threat IntelligenceThreat intelligence refers to information about cyber threats that has been collected, analyzed, and enriched with context so that an organization can detect attacks earlier and prioritize safeguards in a targeted way. In German, the term Bedrohungsaufklärung is also used.Security
- Token (AI)A token is the smallest unit into which a language model splits text – usually a word, part of a word, or a punctuation mark. Tokens determine how much text a model can process and what a request costs.Artificial Intelligence
- Training DataTraining data is the set of examples from which an AI model learns patterns. Its quantity, quality and composition largely determine how reliably and fairly the model works later.Artificial Intelligence
V
- Vector DatabaseA vector database stores data as numerical vectors, so-called embeddings, and quickly finds the entries with the most similar content in large datasets. It is a central building block of many AI search applications.Artificial Intelligence
- VirtualizationVirtualization uses software to emulate hardware such as servers, storage, or networks. This allows several separate virtual machines, each with its own operating system, to run on one physical server.Network & Infrastructure
- VPNVPN stands for virtual private network. A VPN builds an encrypted tunnel over a public network such as the internet and thus securely connects devices or sites to the corporate network.Network & Infrastructure
- Vulnerability ManagementVulnerability management is the ongoing process of finding security vulnerabilities in IT systems, assessing them by risk, remediating them, and verifying the remediation. It is a permanent task, not a one-time project.Security
- Vulnerability ScanA vulnerability scan is an automated check of systems, applications and network devices for known vulnerabilities, missing updates and insecure configurations. It provides a list of findings for prioritization, but no proof that a vulnerability can actually be exploited.Security
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Z
- Zero TrustZero Trust means not trusting access solely because of its location or network. Identity, device, permission, and context are verified in line with the protection requirements.Security
- Zero-Day VulnerabilityZero-day vulnerabilities are security flaws in software or hardware that are not yet known to the vendor or for which no update exists yet. Attackers can exploit them before protection is available.Security
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