Audits and Assessments & Penetration Tests (sec +)

Attestation

act of a third party (usually an auditor or CPA firm) providing assurance or certifying that an organization's systems, controls, policies, or financial statements meet a specific, defined set of criteria, standards, or regulations

Internal Audit

objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve an organization's operations by evaluating the effectiveness of its governance, risk management, and internal control processes

External Audit

an independent examination of an organization's financial statements, internal controls, or specific operational areas, conducted by a third-party public accounting firm to provide an objective opinion on the accuracy and fairness of the information presented

Reconnaissance

the initial, preparatory phase of a cyberattack or a penetration test where an attacker systematically gathers information about a target organization, its systems, and its network infrastructure before launching an active exploit

Passive Reconnaissance

the phase of gathering information about a target organization, its systems, and its network infrastructure without directly interacting with or sending packets to the target's live environment

Active Reconnaissance

the phase of gathering information about a target organization and its systems by directly engaging with the target's network and services, which carries the risk of detection by security systems