Attack Signature

Primary definition

Attack Signature is a unique, predefined pattern or byte sequence used by cybersecurity tools (IDS/IPS, antivirus, WAF) to identify known malicious activity, such as malware strains, SQL injections, or vulnerability exploits. It acts like a digital fingerprint, comparing network traffic or file data against a database of known threats to enable automated detection and blocking.

Also known asattack pattern · intrusion signature · threat signature
3 sources cited4 related termsReviewed Aug 9, 2026
NICCS GlossaryView source

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NICCS

Attack Signature is a unique, predefined pattern or byte sequence used by cybersecurity tools (IDS/IPS, antivirus, WAF) to identify known malicious activity, such as malware strains, SQL injections, or vulnerability exploits. It acts like a digital fingerprint, comparing network traffic or file data against a database of known threats to enable automated detection and blocking.

NICCS Glossary · 2024

Cite this term

Permanent URL · stable across revisions
Election Security Glossary. (2026). Attack Signature. In Election Security Glossary. Retrieved August 20, 2026, from https://electionsecurityglossary.com/glossary/attack-signature

Sources

3 cited · last checked Aug 9, 2026

01

NICCS Glossary
NICCS Glossary

High consensus

View source

02

Committee on National Security Systems Glossary CNSSI 4009-2015
Committee on National Security Systems Glossary CNSSI 4009-2015

Multi-source

View source

03

The Cyber Glossary
The Cyber Glossary

Multi-source

View source

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