WGU D315: NETWORK SECURITY CONCEPTS 2025–2026:
MOST COMMON TERMS AND DEFINITIONS (HARVARD
STYLE) (HARVARD STYLE)
INCLUDES CRITICAL TERMS FOR NETWORK SECURITY EXAMS AND TRAINING, SUCH AS SWITCHES,
ROUTERS, FIREWALLS, COMPROMISED DEVICES, WIRELESS VULNERABILITIES, HARDENING
PRACTICES, DEFAULT PASSWORDS, AND UNUSED LOGINS. UPDATED FOR 2025–2026 WITH
HARVARD STYLE REFERENCING FOR ACCURATE STUDY SUPPORT.
Network devices - CORRECT ANSWER -Switches, routers, and firewalls with access to data
Compromised device - CORRECT ANSWER-Device accessed by a malicious user or attacker
Wireless networks - CORRECT ANSWER -Networks vulnerable to attackers in close proximity
Hardening - CORRECT ANSWER -Process of securing and testing network devices
Default passwords - CORRECT ANSWER -Factory-set passwords that should be changed
Unnecessary logins - CORRECT ANSWER -Accounts not used by the network administrator
Strong password policy - CORRECT ANSWER -Requiring complex passwords and regular changes
Unnecessary services - CORRECT ANSWER -Optional features that increase the risk of attack
Patching - CORRECT ANSWER -Installing security updates to fix vulnerabilities
Physical access - CORRECT ANSWER -Ability to physically interact with a device
Trusted network - CORRECT ANSWER -Network authorized to make changes to a device
,Wireless network encryption - CORRECT ANSWER -Configuring WPA2 or WPA3 for secure traffic
Audit logs - CORRECT ANSWER -Records of device activity for analysis and detection
Backup - CORRECT ANSWER -Creating copies of device configurations for restoration
Authentication - CORRECT ANSWER -Process of confirming a person's identity
Microsoft Active Directory - CORRECT ANSWER -Authentication system that confirms user
identity via passwords
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) - CORRECT ANSWER -Authentication system that uses certificates
to validate website identity
Authorization - CORRECT ANSWER -Determines what a user may access after authentication
Restrictive Permissions - CORRECT ANSWER -Applying limited access to data and securing
servers and network devices
Data Leaks - CORRECT ANSWER-Risk of unauthorized access to confidential data
Malware Infection - CORRECT ANSWER -Accidental infection of network data files by a user's
infected computer
AAA Interaction - CORRECT ANSWER -Client communication with a radius server via the cloud
Accounting - CORRECT ANSWER -Process of verifying access control settings and providing a
forensic trail
, Immutable Logs - CORRECT ANSWER -Audit logs stored in an unchangeable form to prevent
tampering
MFA - CORRECT ANSWER -Multi-factor authentication, an optional add-on to the authentication
process
2FA - CORRECT ANSWER -Another term for multi-factor authentication
PIN - CORRECT ANSWER -Personal Identification Number used as part of multi-factor
authentication
Biometric Scan - CORRECT ANSWER -Facial, retinal, or fingerprint scan used for multi-factor
authentication
Touch ID - CORRECT ANSWER -Fingerprint scan used for authentication on Apple devices
Face ID - CORRECT ANSWER -Facial recognition scan used for authentication on Apple devices
Proximity-based Security - CORRECT ANSWER -Automatic unlocking of devices when in close
range
Windows Hello - CORRECT ANSWER -Mechanism on Microsoft Windows computers using
fingerprint or facial recognition
Wireless network attacks - CORRECT ANSWER -Attacks on wireless networks that can be done
remotely
Denial of Service (DoS) attack - CORRECT ANSWER -An attack that enables unauthorized access
and traffic monitoring of a wireless network
Deauth attack - CORRECT ANSWER -A denial-of-service (DoS) attack where the attacker can
force clients off a network
MOST COMMON TERMS AND DEFINITIONS (HARVARD
STYLE) (HARVARD STYLE)
INCLUDES CRITICAL TERMS FOR NETWORK SECURITY EXAMS AND TRAINING, SUCH AS SWITCHES,
ROUTERS, FIREWALLS, COMPROMISED DEVICES, WIRELESS VULNERABILITIES, HARDENING
PRACTICES, DEFAULT PASSWORDS, AND UNUSED LOGINS. UPDATED FOR 2025–2026 WITH
HARVARD STYLE REFERENCING FOR ACCURATE STUDY SUPPORT.
Network devices - CORRECT ANSWER -Switches, routers, and firewalls with access to data
Compromised device - CORRECT ANSWER-Device accessed by a malicious user or attacker
Wireless networks - CORRECT ANSWER -Networks vulnerable to attackers in close proximity
Hardening - CORRECT ANSWER -Process of securing and testing network devices
Default passwords - CORRECT ANSWER -Factory-set passwords that should be changed
Unnecessary logins - CORRECT ANSWER -Accounts not used by the network administrator
Strong password policy - CORRECT ANSWER -Requiring complex passwords and regular changes
Unnecessary services - CORRECT ANSWER -Optional features that increase the risk of attack
Patching - CORRECT ANSWER -Installing security updates to fix vulnerabilities
Physical access - CORRECT ANSWER -Ability to physically interact with a device
Trusted network - CORRECT ANSWER -Network authorized to make changes to a device
,Wireless network encryption - CORRECT ANSWER -Configuring WPA2 or WPA3 for secure traffic
Audit logs - CORRECT ANSWER -Records of device activity for analysis and detection
Backup - CORRECT ANSWER -Creating copies of device configurations for restoration
Authentication - CORRECT ANSWER -Process of confirming a person's identity
Microsoft Active Directory - CORRECT ANSWER -Authentication system that confirms user
identity via passwords
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) - CORRECT ANSWER -Authentication system that uses certificates
to validate website identity
Authorization - CORRECT ANSWER -Determines what a user may access after authentication
Restrictive Permissions - CORRECT ANSWER -Applying limited access to data and securing
servers and network devices
Data Leaks - CORRECT ANSWER-Risk of unauthorized access to confidential data
Malware Infection - CORRECT ANSWER -Accidental infection of network data files by a user's
infected computer
AAA Interaction - CORRECT ANSWER -Client communication with a radius server via the cloud
Accounting - CORRECT ANSWER -Process of verifying access control settings and providing a
forensic trail
, Immutable Logs - CORRECT ANSWER -Audit logs stored in an unchangeable form to prevent
tampering
MFA - CORRECT ANSWER -Multi-factor authentication, an optional add-on to the authentication
process
2FA - CORRECT ANSWER -Another term for multi-factor authentication
PIN - CORRECT ANSWER -Personal Identification Number used as part of multi-factor
authentication
Biometric Scan - CORRECT ANSWER -Facial, retinal, or fingerprint scan used for multi-factor
authentication
Touch ID - CORRECT ANSWER -Fingerprint scan used for authentication on Apple devices
Face ID - CORRECT ANSWER -Facial recognition scan used for authentication on Apple devices
Proximity-based Security - CORRECT ANSWER -Automatic unlocking of devices when in close
range
Windows Hello - CORRECT ANSWER -Mechanism on Microsoft Windows computers using
fingerprint or facial recognition
Wireless network attacks - CORRECT ANSWER -Attacks on wireless networks that can be done
remotely
Denial of Service (DoS) attack - CORRECT ANSWER -An attack that enables unauthorized access
and traffic monitoring of a wireless network
Deauth attack - CORRECT ANSWER -A denial-of-service (DoS) attack where the attacker can
force clients off a network
