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This glossary defines key terms and acronyms you will encounter across our documentation and in conversations with the WOHO team. Terms are listed alphabetically for easy reference.

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A

Active Directory (AD) A Microsoft directory service that stores information about users, computers, and other resources on a network. Used to manage authentication and authorisation across an organisation. See also: Azure AD / Entra ID. API (Application Programming Interface) A set of protocols and tools that allow different software applications to communicate with each other. APIs enable integrations between systems — for example, connecting Adobe Sign with Salesforce. Azure Microsoft’s cloud computing platform, offering services such as virtual machines, databases, networking, and AI. See our Azure page for details.

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B

Bandwidth The maximum rate of data transfer across a network connection, typically measured in megabits per second (Mbps) or gigabits per second (Gbps). BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) A policy that allows employees to use their personal devices (laptops, phones, tablets) for work. BYOD environments require additional security controls such as mobile device management (MDM) and conditional access.

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C

Cloud Computing The delivery of computing services — servers, storage, databases, networking, software — over the internet (“the cloud”) rather than from local, on-premises hardware. Cloud computing enables pay-as-you-go pricing and rapid scalability. Conditional Access Security policies that grant or restrict access to applications and data based on conditions such as user location, device compliance, and risk level. A core feature of Azure AD / Entra ID.

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D

DLP (Data Loss Prevention) Technologies and policies designed to prevent sensitive data from being shared, leaked, or exfiltrated outside an organisation. DLP rules can monitor email, file sharing, and endpoint activity. DNS (Domain Name System) The internet’s directory service that translates human-readable domain names (e.g., woho.solutions) into IP addresses that computers use to communicate.

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E

EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) A cybersecurity technology that continuously monitors endpoint devices for suspicious activity, records events for investigation, and provides tools for threat response and remediation. See our Endpoint Security page. Encryption The process of converting data into an unreadable format using a cryptographic algorithm. Only authorised parties with the correct decryption key can access the original data. Used to protect data at rest and in transit. Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) Microsoft’s cloud-based identity and access management service. Provides SSO, MFA, and conditional access for Microsoft 365, Azure, and thousands of third-party applications. ETLA (Enterprise Term Licence Agreement) A volume licensing agreement offered by Adobe for large organisations, providing access to Adobe products at a fixed annual cost with flexible deployment options.

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F

Firewall A network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing traffic based on predefined rules. Firewalls can be hardware appliances, software-based, or cloud-hosted.

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G

GravityZone Bitdefender’s unified endpoint security platform. Provides anti-malware, EDR, XDR, risk analytics, and patch management from a single console. See our Endpoint Security page.

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H

Hybrid Cloud An IT architecture that combines on-premises infrastructure with public cloud services, allowing data and applications to move between the two environments. Hybrid cloud offers flexibility and a gradual migration path.

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I

IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) A cloud computing model where the provider supplies virtualised computing resources — servers, storage, networking — over the internet. The customer manages the operating system, applications, and data. Examples: Azure Virtual Machines, AWS EC2. Identity Provider (IdP) A service that creates, manages, and verifies digital identities. In enterprise environments, the IdP (e.g., Azure AD / Entra ID) authenticates users and issues security tokens that grant access to applications.

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L

Latency The time delay between a request and a response across a network, typically measured in milliseconds. Lower latency means faster, more responsive applications.

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M

MDM (Mobile Device Management) Software that allows IT administrators to manage, monitor, and secure employees’ mobile devices. Microsoft Intune is a common MDM solution in Microsoft 365 environments. MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) A security mechanism that requires users to provide two or more verification factors — something they know (password), something they have (phone or token), or something they are (biometric) — before gaining access. MFA dramatically reduces the risk of account compromise. Migration The process of moving data, applications, or IT infrastructure from one environment to another — for example, from an on-premises Exchange server to Microsoft 365 (Exchange Online).

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N

NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) A legal contract between parties that outlines confidential information they wish to share while restricting access by third parties. Commonly signed electronically using tools like Adobe Sign.

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O

On-Premises (On-Prem) IT infrastructure (servers, storage, networking) that is physically located within an organisation’s own facilities, as opposed to being hosted in the cloud.

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P

PaaS (Platform as a Service) A cloud computing model where the provider supplies a platform — including operating system, runtime, middleware, and development tools — on which customers can build and deploy applications without managing the underlying infrastructure. Examples: Azure App Service, Google App Engine. Patch Management The process of identifying, testing, and deploying software updates (patches) to fix vulnerabilities, improve stability, or add features. Automated patch management is a key component of endpoint security.

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R

RBAC (Role-Based Access Control) A security model that restricts system access based on user roles within an organisation. Users are assigned roles (e.g., admin, editor, viewer), and each role carries a defined set of permissions. Ransomware A type of malware that encrypts a victim’s files and demands payment (a ransom) in exchange for the decryption key. Modern endpoint security solutions like Bitdefender GravityZone include ransomware mitigation with automatic file rollback.

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S

SaaS (Software as a Service) A cloud computing model where the provider hosts and manages the software application, and customers access it over the internet — typically via a web browser. Examples: Microsoft 365, Adobe Creative Cloud, Salesforce. SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language) An XML-based standard for exchanging authentication and authorisation data between an identity provider and a service provider. SAML enables single sign-on (SSO) across multiple applications. SLA (Service Level Agreement) A contract between a service provider and a customer that defines expected levels of service — including uptime guarantees, response times, and support availability. SOC (Security Operations Centre) A centralised team or facility responsible for monitoring, detecting, analysing, and responding to cybersecurity incidents. Bitdefender’s MDR service provides SOC capabilities as a managed service. SSO (Single Sign-On) An authentication method that allows users to log in once and gain access to multiple applications without re-entering credentials. SSO improves user experience and simplifies identity management.

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T

Tenant In cloud computing, a tenant is a dedicated instance of a service for a specific organisation. For example, a Microsoft 365 tenant contains all of an organisation’s users, licences, settings, and data. Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) A subset of MFA that requires exactly two verification factors. Often used interchangeably with MFA in everyday conversation, though MFA can involve more than two factors.

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V

VIP (Value Incentive Plan) Adobe’s volume licensing programme for small-to-medium organisations, offering tiered discounts based on the number of licences purchased. VM (Virtual Machine) A software-based emulation of a physical computer that runs an operating system and applications. VMs are a foundational building block of IaaS cloud computing. VPN (Virtual Private Network) A technology that creates an encrypted tunnel between a user’s device and a remote network, providing secure access to internal resources over the public internet.

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X

XDR (Extended Detection and Response) An evolution of EDR that correlates security telemetry from multiple sources — endpoints, network, email, cloud, and identity — to detect complex, multi-stage attacks. XDR provides a unified view of threats and streamlined response capabilities. See our Endpoint Security page.

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Z

Zero Trust A security framework that assumes no user, device, or network is inherently trusted. Every access request is verified based on identity, device health, location, and other signals before being granted. Zero Trust is a foundational principle of modern cloud security architectures.
Missing a term? Let us know and we will add it to the glossary.