How to play Acronym Decoder
Each round shows one acronym and four possible meanings. Tap the right one and press Check. You get a one-line explanation of what the technology does after every answer.
A correct answer scores 10 XP and a perfect run adds 20 XP. A wrong answer costs one of your five hearts. The ten acronyms are drawn from a set of eighteen.
The acronyms, grouped by what they do
- How software is delivered. SaaS is software you subscribe to and use in a browser. IaaS is rented servers and storage. A CDN keeps copies of web content close to each visitor, and DNS is the directory that turns a domain name into a server address.
- Business systems. A CRM holds customer contacts and deals. An ERP runs finance, purchasing, stock and HR in one place. An SLA is the agreement that says how reliable a service must be.
- Security. A VPN encrypts a connection. MFA asks for a second proof of identity. SSO lets one login open many applications. A DDoS attack tries to knock a service offline with a flood of traffic.
- Data and automation. SQL is the language of databases. ETL moves data into a warehouse. OCR reads text from images, RPA automates repetitive tasks and an LLM is the kind of model behind AI assistants.
- Connections. An API lets programs talk to each other, and IoT links physical devices to the internet.
Why managers should know them
Technology decisions are business decisions. A manager who knows that an SLA sets uptime targets can ask what happens when the target is missed. One who knows what MFA is can ask why it is switched off for the finance team. You do not need to configure any of these systems. You need to know what each one is for, what it costs and what goes wrong without it.
A tip for remembering
Say the full phrase aloud once. “Extract, transform, load” describes the whole process in three words, and “multi-factor authentication” tells you there is more than one check. Most acronyms explain themselves once they are spelled out.
The technology guides on Kurums explain each of these systems. For a security game, try Phish or Legit.
Technology guides
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The Nasdaq fell 5.5% into correction territory on 5 November 2026 as investors priced in tougher AI data-centre rules. What technology leaders should do next.