An escape sequence in cybersecurity refers to a series of characters, typically beginning with the ESC (escape) character, that signals a terminal or software to perform a specific function rather than display the characters literally. These sequences can control cursor movement, change text color, or modify terminal behavior. Malicious use of escape sequences can lead to security vulnerabilities, such as command injection or data manipulation, if user input is not properly sanitized. Understanding and handling escape sequences is crucial for maintaining secure systems, especially when processing input or output in terminal environments.