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Security+ Glossary

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3DES - Triple Data Encryption Standard

A symmetric algorithm used to encrypt data and provide confidentiality. It is a block cipher that encrypts data in 64-bit blocks. Designed to replace DES and is still used, often when hardware does not support AES

A

AAA - Authentication, Authorization, Accounting.

AAA protocols are used in remote access systems. For ecample TACACS+ is a AAA protocol using multipple challenges and responses during a session. Authentication verifies user identifity, authorization determines whether a user should have access, and accounting tracks user access via logs.

ABAC - Attribute-based Access Control

Access-control method, granting access to resources based on attributes assigned to subjects and objects. Compared to DAC, MAC, role-based access control, and rule-based access control.

ACE - Access Control Entry

Identifies a user or group that is granted permission to a resource. ACE (Access Control Entry) is contained in a DACL in NTFS

ACK - Acknowledge

A packet in a TCP handshake. In a SYN flood attack, attackers send the SYN packet, but don't complete the handshake after receiving the SYN/ACK packet

ACL - Access control list

List of rules used by routers and stateless firewalls. ACL is used to control traffic by network, subnet, IP address, port, and/or protocol

AD - Active Directory

AES - Advanced Encryption Standard

A symmetric algorithm used to encrypt data and provide confidentiality. AES is a block cipher, encrypting data in 128-bit blocks. AES is fast, secure, and used in many crypographic methods. Key sizes are 128 bits, 192 bits, or 256 bits.

AH - Authentication Header

An option in IPsec to provide authentication and integrity. IPsec uses HMAC. ESP provides confidentiality, integrity, and authenication w/ HMAC and AES or 3DES. AH protocol ID 51

AI - Artificial Intelligence CHAP

AIS - Automated Indicator Sharing

ALE - Annualized Loss Expectancy

Yearly expected loss. ALE identifies the expected annual loss and is used to measure risk w/ ARO and SLE in quantitative risk assessments. ALE = SLE x ARO

AP - Access Point

A device that connects wireless clients to a wireless network, often referred to as WAP (Wireless Access Point)

API - Application Programming Interface

APIs provide access to features or data in an application, service, or OS. APIs are common in web apps, IoT devices, and cloud services.

API Attacks

API attacks are attempts to discover and exploit API vulnerabilities

APT - Advanced Persistent Threat

An organization that has the capabilities and intent to launch sophisticated, targeted attacks. Often nation state or nation state sponsored group. Nation state refers to foreign governments with significant cyberwarfare resources.

ARO - Annual Rate of Occurrence

Number of times a loss is expected to occur in a year. ARO is used to measure risk with ALE and SLE during quantitative risk assessment. ALE = ARO x SLE or ARO = ALE / SLE

ARP - Address Resolution Protocol

Resolves IPv4 addresses to MAC address

ARP Poisoning

An attack that misleads a system about the actual MAC address of a system. ARP poisoning redirects traffic to an attacker's system by sending false MAC address updates.

ASCII - American Standard Code for Information Interchange

Code used to display standard characters

ASLR - Address Space Layout Randomization

ASP - Active Server Pages

ATT&CK - Adversarial Tactics, Techniques, and Common Knowledge

AUP - Acceptible Use Policy

Policy defining proper use of a system and expected behavior of employees. Describes the purpose and allowed activities on computer systems and networks.

AV - Antivirus

B

BASH - Bourne Again Shell

BCP - Business Continuity Planning

A plan used to help an organization predict and plan for outages of critical services or functions to operate after or during an outage.

BGP - Border Gateway Protocol

BIA - Business Impact Analysis

A process used to help organizations identify critical systems and components essential to operation and success. It is used to identify scenarios that may impact the critical systems anbd components, maximum downtime limits, and potential loss from incidents.

BIND - Berkeley Internet Name Domain

DNS software that runs on Linux and Unis servers. Most internet DNS servers use BIND.

BIOS - Basic Input/Output System

Computer firmware used to manipulate settings such as boot drive, access password, date/time, etc. UEFI is the replacement for BIOS

BPA - Business Partnership Agreement

BPDU Guard - Bridge Protocol Data Unit Guard

Technology that detects false BPDU messages. False BPDU messages can indicate switching loop problems and shut down switch ports. Used to detect false BPDU messages and block BPDU attacks.

BSSID - Basic Service Set Identifier

BYOD - Bring Your Own Device

Mobile device deployment model. BYOD models allow employees to connect personally owned devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc to a company network. Data security is a major concern w/ BYOD policies and shift to CYOD or COPE models.

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