Cyber Security Glossary

Find definitions for IT security and compliance in our online glossary of key terms, acronyms, and vocabulary.

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  • Term
    Definition
  • "A supervised machine learning model for data classification and regression analysis. One of the most used classifiers in machine learning. It optimizes the width of the gap between the points of separate categories in feature space."
  • "an outcome of establishing information infrastructures as the basis for administration, prodduction, marketing, entertainment and law enforcement[, involving] garnering personal data for a variety of purposes in a quest for greater efficiency, convenience or safety. Its ethics and politics(...)
  • Definition: A branch of cryptography in which a cryptographic system or algorithms use the same secret key (a shared secret key).
  • Definition: A cryptographic key that is used to perform both the cryptographic operation and its inverse, for example to encrypt plaintext and decrypt ciphertext, or create a message authentication code and to verify the code.Related Term(s): secret key
  • "combination of interacting elements organized to achieve one or more stated purposes"
  • Definition: In the NICE Framework, cybersecurity work where a person: Installs, configures, troubleshoots, and maintains server configurations (hardware and software) to ensure their confidentiality, integrity, and availability; also manages accounts, firewalls, and patches; responsible for(...)
  • The person in charge of keeping a network working. 
  • Definition: The attribute of an information system when it performs its intended function in an unimpaired manner, free from deliberate or inadvertent unauthorized manipulation of the system.Related Term(s): integrity, data integrity
  • "set of systems and system elements that interact to provide a unique capability that none of the constituent systems can accomplish on its own (note: can be necessary to facilitate interaction of the constituent systems in the system of systems)"
  • Usually the largest part of a PC, the system unit is a box that contains the major components including disk drives and the ports for connecting the keyboard, mouse, printer and other devices. 
  • "Systemic biases result from procedures and practices of particular institutions that operate in ways which result in certain social groups being advantaged or favored and others being disadvantaged or devalued. This need not be the result of any conscious prejudice or discrimination but(...)
  • Definition: In the NICE Framework, cybersecurity work where a person: Works on the development phases of the systems development lifecycle.
  • Definition: In the NICE Framework, cybersecurity work where a person: Consults with customers to gather and evaluate functional requirements and translates these requirements into technical solutions; provides guidance to customers about applicability of information systems to meet business needs.
  • Definition: In the NICE Framework, cybersecurity work where a person: Conducts the integration/testing, operations, and maintenance of systems security.
  • Definition: In the NICE Framework, cybersecurity work where a person: Develops system concepts and works on the capabilities phases of the systems development lifecycle; translates technology and environmental conditions (e.g., law and regulation) into system and security designs and processes.
  • Definition: A discussion-based exercise where personnel meet in a classroom setting or breakout groups and are presented with a scenario to validate the content of plans, procedures, policies, cooperative agreements or other information for managing an incident.
  • Definition: A cyberspace environment that provides a user with confidence in its security, using automated mechanisms to ascertain security conditions and adjust the level of security based on the user's context and in the face of an evolving range of threats.
  • "the process of finding and acquiring skilled human labor for organizational needs and to meet any labor requirement."
  • A long strip of magnetic coated plastic used to record computer data.
  • "a method for solving a problem that an AI algorithm parses its training data to find. Once an algorithm finds its target function, that function can be used to predict results (predictive analysis). The function can then be used to find output data related to inputs for real problems where,(...)
  • Definition: In the NICE Framework, cybersecurity work where a person: Applies current knowledge of one or more regions, countries, non-state entities, and/or technologies.
  • "The performance of a discrete activity with a defined start, stop, and outcome that cannot be broken down to a finer level of detail."
  • "Taxonomy refers to classification according to presumed natural relationships among types and their subtypes."
  • "the practice of slapping a trendy, new label on legacy solutions."
  • "Security controls (i.e., safeguards or countermeasures) for an information system that are primarily implemented and executed by the information system through mechanisms contained in the hardware, software, or firmware components of the system."