- WAF (Web Application Firewall)A specific form of firewall designed to protect web applications by filtering and monitoring HTTP traffic between a web application and the internet. It can prevent attacks stemming from web application security flaws, such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and security misconfigurations.
- Walk-through A methodical review process where a team assesses the effectiveness and completeness of a Disaster Recovery (DR) or Business Continuity Plan (BCP). Participants step through the plan in detail to identify any gaps or issues and to ensure that all necessary steps are understood and actionable in the event of a real disaster or business interruption.
- War chalking The practice of marking physical locations with symbols to indicate the presence of wireless networks, particularly those that are open for public use. This practice has been largely obsolete with the widespread use of mobile internet and security improvements in wireless technology.
- War dialer A computer program used to identify phone numbers that can successfully make a connection with a computer modem. Originally, this was done to discover potential points of unauthorized network access, but these days it's largely obsolete due to the prevalence of broadband internet connections.
- War dialing The practice of using a war dialer to automatically dial a range of phone numbers to identify potential targets for phone attacks. It is used by hackers to identify vulnerabilities in phone systems and gain unauthorized access. Examples include voicemail hacking, PBX hacking, and caller ID spoofing.
- War Driving The practice of driving around with a wireless-enabled device to identify and map wireless networks. It is used by hackers to identify potential targets for wireless attacks. Examples include using a laptop with a wireless card and an antenna, using a smartphone with a wireless scanner app, and using a GPS device with a wireless scanner.
- Warm site A disaster recovery option between a hot site and a cold site, a warm site provides a location equipped with the necessary infrastructure and connectivity but not the active hardware or data required for immediate operation. Organizations use warm sites to expedite recovery time following a disruption, as they can quickly be equipped with backups and necessary systems to resume critical operations.
- Wassenaar ArrangementAn international accord that governs the export of conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies, such as advanced cryptographic systems, which can have both civilian and military applications. Its purpose is to prevent the proliferation of arms and sensitive technologies that could be misused to undermine security and stability, ensuring that transfers do not contribute to harmful military buildups or human rights abuses.
- Waterfall developmentA linear project management approach where progress flows downwards, similar to a waterfall, through various stages such as conception, initiation, analysis, design, construction, testing, deployment, and maintenance. Each stage must be fully completed before moving to the next, providing a structured, sequential process that leaves little room for backtracking or revising previous stages.
- Watering hole attack An attack where attackers seek to compromise a specific group of individuals by infecting websites that members of the group are known to visit. The goal is to infect a targeted user's computer and gain access to the network at the targeted user's place of employment.
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