Security glossary

Cybersecurity terms, explained for accounting professionals.

Clear, plain-language definitions of the security concepts behind the RingWarden Professional Security Assessment — no jargon, no fear, just what each term means and why it matters for your firm.

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Sender Policy Framework (SPF)

An email authentication record published in DNS that lists which mail servers are authorized to send email on behalf of your domain.

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DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM)

An email authentication method that adds a cryptographic signature to outgoing mail so recipients can verify the message genuinely came from your domain and wasn't altered in transit.

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Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC)

A policy layer built on SPF and DKIM that tells receivers what to do when email fails authentication, and sends you reports about what's being sent as your domain.

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Transport Layer Security (TLS)

The protocol that encrypts data in transit between your clients' browsers and your firm's systems, protecting it from interception as it crosses the internet.

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Exposed Services & Attack Surface

Any system reachable from the internet — websites, client portals, admin panels, open ports — that together make up your firm's public attack surface.

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HTTP Security Headers

HTTP response headers that instruct browsers how to safely handle your site's content and protect user sessions against common web attacks.

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Ready to see how these apply to your firm?

The Professional Security Assessment reviews each of these areas across your public-facing digital infrastructure and delivers a clear written report.

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