The FREE Cybersecurity Glossary by Thor Pedersen!

Uploading: The process of transferring data from a local device to a remote server or cloud storage. It is used to share files or backups or to access them from multiple locations. Examples include uploading a file to Dropbox, uploading a photo to Instagram, or uploading a video to YouTube.

URL filtering: A technique used to block access to certain websites based on their URLs. It's commonly used to prevent access to malicious websites or to enforce policies against accessing inappropriate or non-work-related content. This can reduce the risk of malware infection and data leakage, as well as increase productivity.

USA PATRIOT Act of 2001: Officially the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act, it's a legislative act signed into law to enhance law enforcement investigatory tools following the September 11 terrorist attacks. The act increased the ability of law enforcement agencies to search telephone, email communications, medical, financial, and other records in their efforts to detect and prevent terrorism.

USB (Universal Serial Bus): A standard type of connection interface used for transferring data and connecting devices. USBs can pose a security risk due to their ability to carry and transmit data and malware. Proper management, including limiting usage, disabling unnecessary ports, and scanning for malware, can mitigate these risks.

User: A user is an individual or entity that interacts with a computer system or service. In cybersecurity, a user can be an administrator, an employee, or a customer, each with varying levels of access and privileges. Ensuring the security of user accounts and data is fundamental to protecting against unauthorized access and breaches.

User-assigned privileges: The specific rights and permissions granted to a user to access and use certain resources or perform certain actions. These privileges are assigned by the system administrator or other authorized user based on the user's role and responsibilities. Examples include allowing a user to read or write to a specific file or to access a particular network or database. This can also be referred to as "user permissions" or "access rights."