IT Jargon Busters – Business IT in Plain English

Jargon busted in one line

Short on time? Here are eight terms you'll come across in the guides above, explained without the acronyms.

MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication)

A second check, like a code on your phone, so a stolen password alone isn't enough to get in.

VoIP

Phone calls carried over the internet instead of a traditional phone line, usually cheaper and more flexible.

Managed IT Support

An IT provider that proactively looks after your systems day-to-day, rather than only fixing things when they break.

Cyber Essentials

A UK government-backed certification that shows your business meets a baseline standard of cyber security.

Cloud Computing

Running software and storing data on remote servers you access over the internet, instead of on office hardware.

SLA (Service Level Agreement)

The written promise from your IT provider on how quickly they'll respond to and fix an issue.

Zero-Day

A newly discovered security flaw that's being exploited before a fix exists - hence "zero days" to prepare.

Endpoint

Any device connected to your network, laptops, phones, servers, and a common target for attackers.