Tech glossary A–Z
Jargon, decoded. Short definitions first, the full explanation one click away.
The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, a set of security requirements for any organization that stores, processes, or transmits card data. Cybersecurity
A passwordless sign-in credential based on FIDO2 and WebAuthn that uses a cryptographic key pair stored on your device instead of a password. Cybersecurity
An app that securely stores and fills in passwords, so you can use a strong, unique password for every account without memorizing them. Cybersecurity
An online advertising model, known as PPC, in which advertisers pay each time someone clicks their ad rather than for impressions. Business & Retail Tech
A service that securely captures and transmits payment details from a customer to the banks and networks that approve the transaction. FinTech
A company that handles the technical and financial steps of card and digital payments between a merchant, card networks, and banks. FinTech
An authorized, simulated cyberattack on a system to find and fix security weaknesses before real attackers exploit them. Cybersecurity
Any information that can identify a specific person, alone or combined with other data, such as a name, email, or ID number. Cybersecurity
A social engineering attack that uses fake emails, messages, or websites to trick people into revealing information or installing malware. Cybersecurity
The practice of building an internal developer platform that gives software teams self-service tools to build, deploy, and run applications. Cloud & DevOps
A cloud model that provides a ready-to-use environment for building, deploying, and running applications without managing servers. Cloud & DevOps
The hardware and software a business uses to ring up sales, take payments, issue receipts, and track transactions, often called a POS. Tech for Local Business
Encryption and digital signature methods designed to resist attacks from future quantum computers while running on today's ordinary hardware. Cybersecurity
A data center efficiency metric, known as PUE, that divides total facility energy use by the energy used by IT equipment alone. Green Tech
Using historical data, statistics, and machine learning to forecast future outcomes or behaviors. Data & Analytics
A security rule that people, programs, and devices should have only the minimum access needed to do their job, and no more. Cybersecurity
The point at which a product satisfies a strong market demand, so customers actively want, use, and recommend it. Business & Retail Tech
A website built with modern web technologies that behaves like an installable app, with features such as offline use and notifications. Software Development
The practice of designing and refining instructions given to AI models to get more accurate, useful, and reliable outputs. Artificial Intelligence
An attack that hides instructions in text an AI system reads, tricking it into ignoring its original rules or taking unintended actions. Cybersecurity
A blockchain consensus mechanism in which validators lock up cryptocurrency as collateral to earn the right to propose and confirm blocks. Web3 & Blockchain
A blockchain consensus mechanism in which miners compete to solve computational puzzles to add new blocks and secure the network. Web3 & Blockchain
A request to merge a set of code changes into a shared codebase, giving teammates a chance to review and discuss them first. Software Development
A popular, general-purpose programming language known for readable syntax, widely used in AI, data science, automation, and web development. Software Development