Book reviews
Genuine customer comments such as those below are solid gold to me. I am keen for your honest impressions about the Cybersecurity Hyperglossary. What do you like and dislike most about it? Is it good value, worth more to you than the cover price? How are you actually reading and using it? What's missing, misleading or plain wrong? What would improve it?
Please let me know
Go ahead, you can tell me anything.
I'm an autistic auditor: my skin is thick and scaly.
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A brilliant addition to my office library
“The beginning of wisdom is the definition of terms.”
I recently received an amazing book from the author himself, Cybersecurity Hyperglossary by Dr. Gary Hinson.
I opened it “just for a quick look”… and ended up spending a couple of hours exploring different terms. Always a good sign.
Honestly, it’s one of the most useful desk references I’ve come across for GRC professionals and a brilliant addition to my office library.
What impressed me the most was the completeness and usability of the glossary. This is not just a list of terms, it’s a thoughtfully structured reference designed to actually improve understanding and communication across cybersecurity, privacy, resilience, and related GRC domains.
From the very beginning, the author makes the purpose clear: "to provide a comprehensive, user-friendly reference for anyone seeking to understand and use the terminology of cybersecurity and related domains." I think he absolutely delivers on that purpose.
What makes this book stand out:
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5,000 terms + 700 abbreviations and acronyms (it is a really comprehensive glossary)
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Covers both common and rare, highly specific terms (e.g., TLPT from DORA context)
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Clear, concise, and pragmatic definitions (no academic fluff)
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Adds context, origins, and nuances (not just definitions)
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Helps standardise terminology and reduce misinterpretation
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Bridges the gap between technical and non-technical audiences (very valuable in GRC context)
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Supports learning, training, and professional development
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Feels like a massive, well-thought-out effort (!!!Huge respect to the author)
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Perfect as a desk reference: quick to check and easy to use
Highly recommended for anyone in cybersecurity, especially in GRC.”
Andrey Prozorov,
Patreon, 24 Mar 2026
Thanks Andrey: 'no academic fluff' indeed!
One definitive book to use every day
“After waiting a while for the book to ship from the US to APAC, my copy of the Hyperglossary finally arrived yesterday. I opened it with the excitement of a kid on Christmas morning and quickly saw that the wait was worth it.
As a Consultant, I’ve spent years making glossaries and definition lists for clients. Over time, I’ve ended up with lots of separate files and workbooks scattered in different places, always planning to organise them when I get the chance.
Now I don’t have to worry about that anymore!
I completely agree with James about how using different terms for the same things can cause a lot of confusion. There's now one definitive book I will use as my main source for information security and cybersecurity terms.
I work on a lot of information security program documentation for clients around the world, and this book will make it much easier to explain the many terms in our field that often cause confusion.
Thank you, Gary. I really appreciate all the work you put into this. I’ll keep it on my desk and use it every day, I can promise you that.”
Marty Carter,
email, 4 Mar 2026
Thanks Marty: I use it daily too!
Something comforting ... an authorative source
“There's something comforting about a book dedicated entirely to definitions. Given how stuffed our industry is on buzzwords, confusion, marketing, hype, and rebranding old ideas clear language is incredibly valuable (though I think since this was printed another dozen *ishing terms have been coined).
Gary has put a huge amount of work into this. A while ago I did a word of the day for a few weeks (which people keep asking to come back), so I have some appreciation for the effort involved.
A lot of problems in our industry (and others) come about when people use different terms for the same thing, or the same term for different things. Now, when someone does that, I have an authoritative source I can metaphorically beat down the wrong definition with.
Although I note that the title uses cybersecurity as one word.
I will, naturally, keep writing cyber security as two words.
Some battles are worth fighting.”
James Bore,
LinkeDin, 23 Feb 2026
Thanks James: battle on!