The FREE Cybersecurity Glossary by Thor Pedersen!

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 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.