Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS) Glossary
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Committee on National Security Systems CNSSI No. 4009 April 6, 2015 Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS) Glossary THIS DOCUMENT PRESCRIBES MINIMUM STANDARDS YOUR DEPARTMENT OR AGENCY MAY REQUIRE FURTHER IMPLEMENTATION 1 National Manager FOREWORD 1. The Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS) Glossary Working Group convened to review and update the Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS) Glossary, Committee on National Security Systems Instruction (CNSSI) No. 4009, dated April 2010. This revision of CNSSI No. 4009 incorporates many new terms submitted by the CNSS Membership. Most of the terms from the 2010 version of the Glossary remain, but a number of terms have updated definitions in order to remove inconsistencies among the communities. 2. The Glossary Working Group set several overall objectives for itself in producing this version: . Use authoritative sources for definitions of terms. It is preferred that definitions originate from current authoritative sources, as this demonstrates both that the term is in active use and that the definition has been vetted by subject matter experts. Listing sources for terms also provides context and a reference for additional information. The glossary still contains terms where sources are not specified. For these terms, definitions will be considered organic. The majority of unsourced terms are from the CNSSI No. 4009 (2010) version, although some are newly introduced. These new terms are primarily emerging terms judged to be valuable to include in the glossary, but for whatever reason have not yet been defined in a published authoritative source. Continue to resolve differences between the definitions of terms used by the Department of Defense (DoD), Intelligence Community (IC), and Civil Agencies (e.g. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)); enabling all three to use the same glossary. This will allow for use of consistent terminology in documentation, policy, and process across these communities. Ensure consistency among related and dependent terms. These terms are linked through a suggestion to see the related term. Ensure any acronyms used in the terms and definitions also appear in the Acronyms appendix, and remove any acronyms judged to be outside of the scope of the glossary or no longer relevant. Ensure all documents referenced as sources in the terms and definitions also appear in the References appendix. Because of this, the number of references has grown from 29 in the 2010 version to over 150 in the current version. References not used as the source of terms and definitions were removed. 3. Many cyber terms are emerging. The Glossary Working Group has tried to include significant terms and definitions that have a useful distinction when compared to existing Information Assurance terms. All terms currently defined in CNSS issuances were reviewed for either inclusion or to replace current definitions in the Glossary. Not all terms appearing in CNSS issuances are within the scope of the CNSS Glossary or are relevant to a broad audience. 4. Some terms and definitions recommended by the community for inclusion were not 2 added to this version of the glossary. The main reasons for not adding new terms or definitions were ones of scope or lack of an authoritative source, where an organic definition was not deemed appropriate. 5. Many terms that are outdated or no longer necessary were removed from the glossary. Some of these had been labeled as Candidates for Deletion (C.F.D.) for several versions of the glossary, but continue to remain in this version. A term labeled "C.F.D." may be obsolete; however without the term, rationale and possible linkage to a new term, users of the glossary would have no indication the term is outdated or has been replaced by a new term. 6. We recognize an effective glossary must be in a continuous state of coordination and improvement. We encourage further community review and comments as new terms become significant and old terms fall into disuse or change meaning. The goal of the Glossary Working Group is to keep the CNSS Glossary relevant and a tool for commonality across the IA community. 7. Representatives of the CNSS may obtain copies of this instruction on the CNSS Web Page at http://www.cnss.gov. FOR THE NATIONAL MANAGER: /s/ CURTIS W. DUKES CNSS Secretariat (IE414). National Security Agency. 9800 Savage Road, STE 6716. Ft Meade, MD 20755-6716 Office: (410) 854-6805 Unclassified FAX: (410) 854-6814 [email protected] 3 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK 4 Table of Contents Terms and Definitions......................................................................................................................1 Annex A: Acronyms ................................................................................................................... 134 Annex B: References .................................................................................................................. 150 5 National Information Assurance (IA) Glossary Terms and Definitions This instruction applies to all U.S. Government Departments, Agencies, Bureaus and Offices; supporting contractors and agents; that collect, generate process, store, display, transmit or receive classified or controlled unclassified information or that operate, use, or connect to National Security Systems (NSS), as defined herein. Term Definition access Ability to make use of any information system (IS) resource. Source: NIST SP 800-32 access authority An entity responsible for monitoring and granting access privileges for other authorized entities. access control The process of granting or denying specific requests: 1) for obtaining and using information and related information processing services; and 2) to enter specific physical facilities (e.g., Federal buildings, military establishments, and border crossing entrances). Source: FIPS PUB 201-1 (adapted) access control list A list of permissions associated with an object. The list specifies who or what is allowed (ACL) to access the object and what operations are allowed to be performed on the object. access control Security safeguards (i.e., hardware and software features, physical controls, operating mechanism procedures, management procedures, and various combinations of these) designed to detect and deny unauthorized access and permit authorized access to an information system. access cross domain A type of cross domain solution (CDS) that provides access to a computing platform, solution application, or data residing on different security domains from a single device. Source: CNSSI No. 1253F Attachment 3 access level A category within a given security classification limiting entry or system connectivity to only authorized persons. access list Roster of individuals authorized admittance to a controlled area. access profile Association of a user with a list of protected objects the user may access. access type Privilege to perform action on an object. Read, write, execute, append, modify, delete, and create are examples of access types. 1 accountability 1. The principle that an individual is entrusted to safeguard and control equipment, keying material, and information and is answerable to proper authority for the loss or misuse of that equipment or information. Source: NSA/CSS Manual Number 3-16 (COMSEC) 2. The security goal that generates the requirement for actions of an entity to be traced uniquely to that entity. This supports non-repudiation, deterrence, fault isolation, intrusion detection and prevention, and after-action recovery and legal action. Source: NIST SP 800-27 Rev A accounting legend A numeric code used to indicate the minimum accounting controls required for items of code (ALC) accountable COMSEC material within the COMSEC material control system (CMCS). Source: NSA/CSS Manual Number 3-16 (COMSEC) accounting number A number assigned to an individual item of COMSEC material to facilitate its handling and accounting. Source: NSA/CSS Manual Number 3-16 (COMSEC) accreditation (C.F.D.) Formal declaration by a designated accrediting authority (DAA) or principal accrediting authority (PAA) that an information system is approved to operate at an acceptable level of risk, based on the implementation of an approved set of technical, managerial, and procedural safeguards. See authorization to operate (ATO). Rationale: The Risk Management Framework uses a new term to refer to this concept, and it is called authorization. accreditation 1. Identifies the information resources covered by an accreditation decision, as boundary (C.F.D.) distinguished from separately accredited information resources that are interconnected or with which information is exchanged via messaging. Synonymous with Security Perimeter. 2. For the purposes of identifying the Protection Level for confidentiality of a system to be accredited, the system has a conceptual boundary that extends to all intended users of the system, both directly and indirectly connected, who receive output from the system. See authorization boundary. Rationale: The Risk Management Framework uses a new term to refer to the concept of accreditation, and it is called authorization. Extrapolating, the accreditation boundary would then be referred to as the authorization boundary. accreditation package Product comprised of a system security plan (SSP) and a report documenting the basis (C.F.D.) for the accreditation decision. Rationale: The RMF uses a new term to refer to this concept, and it is called RMF security authorization package. 2 accrediting