A game cartridge is a removable physical medium that stores software for a console or other device. Historically, cartridges held code and data on a small, swappable module that the device read directly when inserted. Modern uses may still rely on the same basic idea: plug in a trusted object, then load and run its contents.
In cybersecurity, removable media matters because it can become an attack path as well as a delivery method. A cartridge can be cloned, modified, or replaced with a lookalike that carries altered code, malicious firmware, or unauthorized content. Defenders reduce that risk by checking provenance, enforcing digital signatures, locking down write access, and verifying what runs before execution. The cartridge form factor can also help legitimate defenses by making distribution easier to control and audit in offline or embedded environments.