In cybersecurity, 'ephemeral' refers to data, sessions, or resources that exist only for a short period and are not permanently stored. Examples include ephemeral encryption keys, temporary network sessions, or short-lived authentication tokens. Ephemeral elements are designed to minimize the risk of data exposure or misuse, as they are automatically deleted or expire after a set time. This approach enhances security by reducing the window of opportunity for attackers to intercept or exploit sensitive information. Ephemeral resources are commonly used in cloud computing, secure communications, and modern authentication protocols to improve privacy and limit long-term data retention.