Alkupääsyä

Alkupääsyä is a Finnish term that translates to "initial access" or "first access" in English. It refers to the very first time a person or entity gains entry or connection to a system, network, or resource. This concept is particularly relevant in the fields of cybersecurity, information technology, and systems administration.

In cybersecurity, initial access is a critical stage of an attack. It's the moment an adversary breaches the perimeter of a target system or network. Common methods for achieving initial access include exploiting software vulnerabilities, using phishing attacks to trick users into revealing credentials or downloading malware, brute-forcing login attempts, or leveraging weak security configurations. Once initial access is gained, attackers can then move on to other stages of their attack, such as lateral movement, privilege escalation, and data exfiltration.

In a more general IT context, initial access might refer to the process of setting up a new user account on a network, granting a contractor access to a company's systems for the first time, or the initial connection established when deploying a new server or application. Ensuring that this initial access is secure and properly authenticated is fundamental to maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of digital assets. The procedures for granting and managing initial access are often subject to strict policies and controls to prevent unauthorized entry and to maintain an audit trail of who accessed what, and when.