Analysis Glossary

Browse 24 analysis terms defined in plain English, from the cultural dictionary of computing.

24 Analysis Terms

Binary Diffing
The comparison of two compiled binaries to identify changed code, patched vulnerabilities, or behavioral differences without relying on source code. It is...
Code Analysis
The examination of source code to understand structure, detect issues, infer dependencies, or measure properties such as complexity and quality. Code analysis...
Code Database
A structured representation of source code stored for indexing, querying, or static analysis rather than for normal execution. Code databases are used by code...
Counterfactual
A hypothetical alternative to what actually happened, used to reason about causality, decisions, and outcomes. In tech and startup culture it shows up in...
Cryptanalysis
Cryptanalysis is the study of how to break or weaken cryptographic systems by exploiting mathematical or implementation flaws. Security teams use it to enforce...
Cyber Attribution
Cyber Attribution is the analytical process of assessing who is responsible for malicious cyber activity and how confident that assessment is. Security teams...
Cyber Threat Intelligence
Cyber Threat Intelligence is evidence-based knowledge about adversaries, infrastructure, motives, and tactics used to guide security decisions. Security teams...
Decision Matrix
A table or structured comparison used to score or compare options across chosen criteria. In workplace culture decision matrices can be helpful for clarity,...
Deep Dive
A detailed exploration of a topic, system, incident, or decision rather than a quick overview. In tech culture a deep dive can be invaluable when it surfaces...
Entropy Analysis
Entropy Analysis is the measurement of randomness or predictability in data to spot weak secrets, packed code, or anomalous content. Security teams use it to...
Escape Analysis
Escape Analysis is the examination of whether data, references, or effects can cross an intended trust or execution boundary. Security teams use it to enforce...
Failure Analysis
The systematic investigation of why something failed, with the goal of understanding causes, contributing factors, and improvements. In engineering culture...
Firmware Analysis
Firmware Analysis is the examination of firmware images or runtime behavior to identify vulnerabilities, secrets, or malicious changes. Security teams use it...
Forensic Toolkit
A collection of software and utilities used to acquire, parse, search, and analyze digital evidence from disks, memory, mobile devices, or cloud sources....
Incident Triage
Incident Triage is the initial assessment and prioritization of alerts or events to decide what requires deeper investigation. Security teams use it to enforce...
Malware Analysis
Malware Analysis is the examination of malicious software to understand behavior, capabilities, indicators, and defensive implications. Security teams use it...
Malware Sandbox
Malware Sandbox is a controlled execution environment used to observe malware behavior with reduced risk to production systems. Security teams use it to...
Number Crunching
Working through large amounts of calculation, data, or quantitative analysis. In engineering slang, it often refers to the less glamorous but necessary...
Obfuscation
Obfuscation is the concealment of code, data, or behavior so analysis and detection become more difficult. Security teams use it to enforce trust, reduce...
Open Source Intelligence
Open Source Intelligence is the collection and analysis of publicly available information for security, investigation, or threat assessment. Security teams use...
Risk Analysis
The process of examining threats, vulnerabilities, likelihood, and impact to understand how serious a security risk really is. Risk analysis helps...
Sandbox
An isolated environment where untrusted code or suspicious files can be executed safely, without risk to the host system. Also used in development to describe...
SBOM Analysis
The process of reviewing a software bill of materials to identify risky components, versions, and dependency exposure. It shows up in application security,...
TAM / SAM / SOM
Total Addressable Market / Serviceable Addressable Market / Serviceable Obtainable Market — three concentric circles of market opportunity used in pitch decks....

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