What term describes the amount of time a malicious actor has access to a compromised system before being detected or prevented?

The term that best describes the amount of time a malicious actor has access to a compromised system before being detected or prevented is "Dwell Time." This concept is critical in cybersecurity as it highlights the duration of an adversary's presence within a network or system without being discovered. Understanding dwell time is essential for organizations to gauge the effectiveness of their detection and mitigation strategies, as a longer dwell time often correlates with more extensive damage and data exfiltration.

Dwell time emphasizes the need for timely response and proactive monitoring to reduce the risk of prolonged unauthorized access. It fosters an understanding of how vulnerabilities can be exploited over time, helping organizations to focus on improving their detection capabilities and incident response times. By measuring dwell time, organizations can analyze trends in breaches and optimize their security measures accordingly.