leak

Definition

In cybersecurity circles, the unauthorized disclosure of secret information—essentially when someone decides to tell the press what your company was really hiding. Less about dripping faucets, more about dripping classified documents.

Example Usage

The data leak exposed millions of customer records, prompting a congressional investigation and a CEO apology tour.

Source: Cybersecurity industry terminology

Related Terms

Intermediate

Pipeline

An automated sequence of steps that code goes through from development to production, or a visual representation of your company's hopes and dreams flowing through stages of increasing disappointment. When the pipeline breaks, everything stops.

💻 Tech / IT👥 Human Resources

Beginner

output

The stuff that comes out after you put stuff in, whether it's data from a computer, production from a factory, or results from any process. In tech, it's what your program spits out after processing input—assuming it doesn't crash first. Managers obsess over maximizing output while minimizing input, which is just a fancy way of saying 'do more with less.'

💻 Tech / IT

Advanced

sharding

Splitting a massive database into smaller, more manageable pieces (shards) distributed across multiple servers. It's the database equivalent of not putting all your eggs in one basket, except the eggs are your users' data and the baskets are expensive servers.

💻 Tech / IT

Beginner

initializing

The process of preparing a system, program, or variable for operation by setting it to its starting state or default values—like giving your computer a pep talk before the big game. This crucial setup phase formats storage devices, allocates memory, and establishes baseline parameters so everything works properly. Skip this step and your program will throw tantrums like a toddler who missed naptime.

💻 Tech / IT

Intermediate

dependency hell

The special kind of purgatory where Package A requires Version 2 of Library X, Package B requires Version 3 of Library X, and both are absolutely required for your project. Resolution involves prayer, obscenities, and reconsidering career choices.

💻 Tech / IT

Intermediate

Git

A version control system that tracks every change to your code, preserving your mistakes for all eternity like a digital fossil record of bad decisions. Mastering Git requires approximately the same amount of time as learning an ancient martial art.

💻 Tech / IT

Translate This Term

See “leak” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.

Try the Translator

Share This Term

Post on X Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn

Discover a Term

Advanced

F'digity

An enthusiastic affirmation meaning 'for sure' or 'damn right,' typically deployed when a simple 'yes' feels inadequate ...