In cybersecurity, 'rate' refers to the number of requests or actions a user, device, or system can perform within a specified time frame. Rate limiting is a security technique used to control traffic, prevent abuse, and mitigate attacks such as brute force, denial-of-service (DoS), or credential stuffing. By restricting the frequency of requests, organizations can protect resources from overload and malicious activity. Rate limits are often implemented on APIs, login pages, and other endpoints to ensure fair usage and maintain service availability. Proper configuration of rate limits is essential to balance security and user experience.