- Flooding A type of security attack where the network or system is overwhelmed with traffic or data, resulting in overconsumption of available resources. It could lead to system slowdowns or, in extreme cases, cause the system to crash entirely. Common types of flooding include Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, where an attacker inundates a network with unwanted traffic, often from a botnet.
- Footprinting The initial step where information gatherers collect as much data as possible about a target, such as an individual, a group, or an organization. This can be performed through various methods, including search engines, social media platforms, WHOIS databases, network tools, and more. This is a commonly used technique in ethical hacking to understand the security posture of a target system and find potential vulnerabilities that can be exploited.
- Forced Encryption A policy where data is automatically encrypted before it is stored or transmitted, ensuring that the information remains secure and inaccessible to unauthorized users. This process can be performed at different levels, such as at the file, disk, or network level, and is key in protecting sensitive data from unauthorized access or potential data breaches.
- Foreign Key In databases, a foreign key is a column or set of columns in a relational database table that provides a link between data in two tables. It refers to the primary key of another table, establishing a relationship between the two tables and enforcing referential integrity. The foreign key identifies a column or a set of columns in one (referencing) table that matches the primary key or a unique key in another (referenced) table. The relationship between the two keys ensures that the data in the two tables remains consistent.
- Forensic audit An investigation into financial information or activities to determine if there has been any wrongdoing or fraud. It is used to uncover evidence of illegal or unethical behavior, such as embezzlement or money laundering. Examples of forensic audits include investigations into financial fraud or the mismanagement of company funds.
- Forensic examination The methodical collection and analysis of digital evidence to reconstruct past events. This can include activities like recovering deleted files, analyzing system logs, extracting data from databases, or examining network traffic. The goal is to understand what actions were performed, by whom, and when to establish the facts of a case or incident.
- Forensics in the cloud The application of digital forensics principles in a cloud computing environment. Due to the distributed nature of data in the cloud, standard forensic procedures may be adapted to accommodate specific cloud infrastructure characteristics, like multitenancy, data redundancy, and virtualization. It involves analyzing logs, recovering data, and investigating activities to reveal details about potential breaches, unauthorized access, or other suspicious activities within the cloud infrastructure.
- Formal Access Approval The process by which an individual is granted official permission to access specific data or areas within an organization, typically after meeting predetermined security requirements. This formal approval is often documented and is necessary for maintaining security protocols and ensuring that sensitive information is only accessible to authorized personnel. This process is part of access control and is crucial for compliance, privacy, and data protection.
- Formal Assessment A structured evaluation process used to measure the efficiency, effectiveness, and compliance of certain operations or systems. In the context of data management and protection, this could involve a systematic review of controls, procedures, and policies to ensure they meet prescribed standards and guidelines, help mitigate risks, and contribute to the overall security posture of an organization.
- Fourth-generation language (4GL)These are types of programming languages that are more abstract and closer to human language compared to third-generation languages. 4GLs often focus on reducing programming effort and specificity and are geared towards solving business problems or database querying. Examples include SQL (Structured Query Language) for database interactions, ABAP (Advanced Business Application Programming) used in SAP applications, Informix-4GL, and Progress 4GL, now known as OpenEdge Advanced Business Language. They enable developers to write code with higher-level constructs, and many provide capabilities for rapid application development, report generation, and data manipulation.
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