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CompTIA Cyber Security Analyst (CS0-003) glossary

Terms selected for CompTIA Cyber Security Analyst (CS0-003) based on common objective language and practice focus.

Incident Response

Structured process for detection, containment, eradication, recovery, and lessons learned.

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Metrics

Quantitative measurements used to monitor system behavior and performance.

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Observability

Ability to understand system state using telemetry such as logs, metrics, and traces.

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Syslog

Standardized logging protocol for sending event messages to centralized collectors.

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Baselining

Establishing normal system or network behavior as a reference for anomaly detection.

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Chain of Custody

Documented timeline showing evidence handling from collection to analysis.

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Forensic Imaging

Bit-level copy of storage media used for digital investigations.

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MITRE ATT&CK

Knowledge base mapping adversary tactics, techniques, and procedures.

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SIEM

Security Information and Event Management platform for log aggregation and correlation.

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Threat Hunting

Proactive search for hidden threats that bypassed automated detection.

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Vulnerability Scanning

Automated assessment process that identifies known weaknesses in systems and software.

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Attack Surface

Total set of entry points where attackers can attempt to compromise systems.

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Business Email Compromise (BEC)

Social engineering fraud where attackers impersonate trusted parties via email.

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Containment

Incident response phase focused on limiting attacker movement and damage.

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Correlation Rule

SIEM logic that links multiple events to detect suspicious activity patterns.

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CVSS

Common Vulnerability Scoring System used to rate vulnerability severity.

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Eradication

Incident response phase where malicious artifacts and persistence are removed.

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Indicator of Compromise (IOC)

Forensic artifact suggesting a system may be compromised.

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Security KPI

Key performance indicator measuring effectiveness of security operations.

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OWASP Testing Guide

Methodology guidance for testing web applications for security weaknesses.

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Playbook

Documented response procedure for specific incident types.

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Risk Treatment

Decision process to mitigate, transfer, avoid, or accept identified risks.

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Threat Intelligence

Contextual information about threats used to improve detection and decision-making.

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Threat Modeling

Process of identifying threats and prioritizing controls during design and operations.

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Triage

Initial analysis and prioritization of alerts or incidents.

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TTP

Tactics, techniques, and procedures associated with adversary behavior.

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Anomaly Detection

Technique used to identify values or behaviors that deviate from normal patterns.

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Behavioral Analytics

Detection approach that identifies suspicious behavior patterns rather than static signatures.

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Confidence Level

Analyst estimate of reliability and certainty for intelligence or findings.

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Cyber Kill Chain

Model describing stages of attacker operations from reconnaissance to actions on objectives.

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Diamond Model of Intrusion Analysis

Framework linking adversary, capability, infrastructure, and victim in intrusion analysis.

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Dwell Time

Duration attackers remain undetected in an environment after compromise.

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Exposure Window

Time period during which a system remains vulnerable before mitigation.

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Forensic Timeline

Chronological reconstruction of security-relevant events during an investigation.

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Risk Heat Map

Visualization that maps risk likelihood and impact for prioritization.

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Incident Declaration

Formal decision that an event meets criteria to be handled as an incident.

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Incident Severity

Classification level indicating impact and urgency of incident response actions.

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Indicator of Attack (IOA)

Behavioral signal indicating malicious activity in progress.

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Log Ingestion

Collection and onboarding of log data into monitoring platforms.

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Mean Time to Detect (MTTD)

Average time between incident occurrence and detection.

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Mean Time to Respond (MTTR)

Average time required to respond to and contain incidents.

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OSSTMM

Open Source Security Testing Methodology Manual framework for security testing.

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Post-Incident Review

Structured analysis after incident closure to capture lessons learned.

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Sandbox Analysis

Controlled execution of suspicious files to observe behavior safely.

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SOC

Security Operations Center responsible for continuous monitoring and response.

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SIEM Use Case

Specific detection scenario implemented through data sources and correlation logic.

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Vulnerability Prioritization

Ranking vulnerabilities by risk, exploitability, exposure, and business impact.

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YARA

Pattern-matching language for classifying and detecting malware artifacts.

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