Mbps means megabits per second. It is a unit of data transfer speed, showing how much information can move across a network link in one second. In mobile and broadband services, Mbps is often used to describe download or upload performance, though real-world speed can vary with congestion, signal quality, device limits, and provider policy.
In cyber security, Mbps matters because attackers and defenders both depend on bandwidth. Large data transfers, malware downloads, command-and-control traffic, and data exfiltration can all be measured in Mbps, helping analysts spot unusual spikes or sustained transfers. Defenders also use Mbps when sizing firewalls, VPNs, and DDoS protection, since overloaded links can become a denial-of-service condition. The term is practical: a speed cap such as “up to 250 Mbps” describes the maximum service rate, not a guarantee, and security teams use that same idea when applying throttling or rate limiting to control abuse.