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AAA - authentication, authorization, and accounting (a system process/security function requiring the system to authenticate computers/users attempting to access the system, usually by some form of credential, to authorize the user by granting permission for some level of use, and accounting for, or tracking the amount of use, such as connection time and billing.)
AACS - Advanced Access Content System (Anti-copying protection system intended to prevent copying of commercial media content, such as music or movies. AACS is used on Blu-ray video discs.)
ABAC - Attribute Based Access Control (System access control based on an attribute (aspect or facet of an identity), or combination of attributes, of the user, such as the IP address used for a connection, the physical location of the user, group membership, or organizational unit (divison within a company).)
ABC - Atanasoff-Berry Computer (Considered the first true digital electronic computer, developed from 1937 to 1942 by John V. Atanasoff and Clifford Berry.)
AC - Access Control (A method or process that defines the degree of access granted to use a particular resource, data, systems, or facilities. The resource may be physical, such as computers, switches, or routers, or job-related, such as permissions to use or view a file, or folder.)
AC - alternating current (Electric current with regularly changing polarity - current which flows first in one direction and then the other.)
ACC - Advanced Clock Calibration (Method or feature for adjusting the speed, timing and voltage settings of a computer's central processing unit (CPU) and memory components.)
ACE - Access Control Engine (A software framework offered by the German company SAP in customer relationship management (CRM), a form of service-oriented architecture (SOA), which offers businesses specialized or targeted services in areas such as e-mail, analytics, or storage of marketing client lists and information.)
ACID test - Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, and Durability (or Atomic, Consistent, Isolated, and Durable) (In the area of database management dealing with online transaction processing (OLTP), the ACID test is a summary of the safeguards, or system characteristics intended to maintain database integrity and prevent the entry of erroneous, incomplete, or corrupted data. Atomicity divides transactions into units and prevents entry unless all changes take effect. Consistency requires that data in one database be consistent with other data in that database. Isolation requires that transactions execute in isolation until completed. Durability prevents rolling back transactions once they have been committed.)
ACK - acknowledgment (A Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) communication message used for system communication sessions. When a host receives a SYN (synchronous) from another host signaling that the other host wants to initiate a communication session, the receiver acknowledges the request by sending a SYN/ACK packet. The initial host responds with an acknowledgment (ACK) packet indicating that it received the SYN/ACK packet and is ready to begin the communication session.)
ACL - access control list (A clearly defined list of permissions that specifies what actions an authenticated user may perform on a shared resource. Access control lists are used in many different contexts in security. They may be used within a system to allow or deny access to certain files or folders, even if the user has been authenticated, or on a network device, such as a router, to allow or deny access to a system.)
ACM - Adaptive Contrast Management (Name given by the Acer computer manufacturer for its dynamic contrast ratio computer screen. Dynamic contrast ratio is a method of measuring the brightness of liquid crystal display (LCD) computer monitors.)
ACM - Association for Computing Machinery (Nonprofit organization of educators, researchers, and professionals involved in the computer science field, founded i 1947.)
ACPI - Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (A standard method for integrating power management, as well as system-configuration features throughout a PC, including the hardware, operating system (OS), and application software. Initially released in 1996, one of the main function changes introduced was to move power-management functions from the basic input/output system (BIOS) to the operating system (OS).)
AD - active directory (A major utility of Microsoft Windows which contains or provides access to directory information about users, user groups, and assigned privilege levels.)
AD - architecture description (A formal description and representation of a system, the components that make it up, the interactions and interdependencies between those components, and the relationship to the environment.)
ADC - analog-to-digital converter (A small computer chip built into an adapter which converts analog sound waves into digital bits that a computer can understand.)
ADP - Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (Company providing human management software, including payroll and HR solutions, tax compliance and benefits administration, founded in 1949.)
ADPCM - Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation (Algorithm used by manufacturers of audio adapters to reduce/compress the file size of sound recordings to a smaller size for storage so that the file takes up less room when stored.)
ADS - Alternate Data Stream (Term used by the Microsoft Windows system for files created or originating from a source outside the Windows system. Attempting to download files, such as .zip files, from the Internet, will cause a warning display that the file is from an untrusted source, and the file will be tagged with an alternate data stream (ADS) extension for all future donwload attempts.)
ADSL - Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (Digital subscriber line - type of high-speed connection technology used to connect a home or business to the service provider's central office - where data travels downstream faster than upstream. General used by residential customers.)
AES - Advanced Encryption Standard (Official encryption standard adopted by the U.S. government in 2001, which is a symmetric block cipher, using large block sizes (128 bits) and runs an encryption algorithm through multiple rounds ( cycle repetitions) to encrypt and decrypt data.)
AFC - antiferromagnetically coupled media (Method of coating hard disk platters for magnetic information storage which involves two magnetic layers separated by a thin, 3-atom film layer or the element ruthenium.)
AfriNIC - African Network Information Centre (Regional Internet Registry (RIR) which maintains information on organizations, their IP addresses, and related information, for African countries.)
AGC - automatic gain control (Type of circuitry in the disk drive audio adapter which adjusts recording levels for DVDs (digital versatile disc).)
AGP - Accelerated Graphics Port (An Intel-designed video bus (component carrying information between the motherboard and system components) introduced in 1997 for high-performance graphics and video systems. Replaced by the faster PCI (peripheral component interconnect) Express (PCIe).)
AH - Authentication Header (Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) protocol for data packets, included in the packet header, which provides data integrity, data-origin authentication, and protection from replay attacks.)
AHA - accelerated hub architecture (Network architecture setup involving a device, similar to a switch or router, which receives incoming data packets.)
AHCI - Advanced Host Controller Interface (Industry-standard, high-performance interface to system driver/operating system (OS) used for discovering and implementing advanced features, such as hot plugging and power management. Simplifies the installation of operating systems.)
AI - actionable intelligence (Information gathered, or collected from reliable sources, which is specific enough to suggest a credible threat. In the intelligence community, information or warnings shared with the private sector so that organizations can make defensive preparations, when the threat is considered sufficiently significant.)
AI - artificial intelligence (Computing devices capable of "learning," assessing new information, and changing actions to accommodate. In its purest form, it means the ability to simulate human thinking, to be able to "think" like a human. In practical terms it has come to mean the ability to collect and analyze large amounts of data, to respond to situations encountered, to improve responses (or to learn from incorrect responses), and to increase the speed of analysis and response. Machine learning (MI) is the capability of computers to improve their responses based on new information. The concept of AI has also been applied, in its ordinary sense, to specific areas where computers can perform specific tasks with greater speed, such as in calculations, or in the ability to mimic or duplicate human capabilities, such as voice recognition, or pattern recognition.)
AIC Triad - availability, integrity, confidentiality (also known as the CIA Triad) (The three tenets or principles of information system security: 1) Availability - Information should be accessible to authorized users whenever they need or request the information; 2) Integrity - Information cannot be corrupted or changed, unless the change is made by someone authorized to make changes; and 3) Confidentiality - Confidential information, such as private data about individuals, or information considered confidential by businesses, should be kept confidential and accessible only by those authorized to view it.)
AIK - Attestation Identity Key (Key used for the attestation of the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) chip itself to service providers. The TPM microchip is installed on the motherboard of computers and is dedicated to carrying out security functions that involve the storage and processing of symmetric and asymmetric keys, hashes, and digital certificates.)
AiO - All-in-One system (Term for completed or assembled PC, consisting of individual systems, in the context of a purchase of a completed PC and system components, in contrast to assembling or building a PC from scratch using the individual system components.)
ALE - annualized/annual loss expectancy (An estimate or calculation of expected losses a business or organization may incur/suffer over the course of a year. Most commonly, will be used for physical assets, such as computers or physical facilities. As a management or budgeting tool, can be applied for an organization or business as a whole, but could also be developed for a division or department. Could be a rough estimate, based on past experience, such as losses resulting from floods or thefts occurring over past years. Could also be a more precise calculation, involving individual or multiple losses, and the likelihood, or level of risk assigned or associated with any given loss, applied to individual assets, plus the risk associated with multiple losses, as well as the risk associated with multiple threats, such as flooding or fires.)
ALSA - advanced Linux sound architecture (Standard for sound card adapters for audio sound recordings using Linux drivers.)
ALU - arithmetic logic unit (Component of the Central Processing Unit (CPU) which performs mathematical functions and operations on data.)
AMF - Action Message Format (A communication format used for messaging between Adobe Flash clients and a remote service.)
AMI - American Megatrends, Inc. (Company specializing in the development of ROM BIOS (read-only memory basic input/output system) software used in motherboards, which is licensed to the manufacturer.)
AMPS - Advanced Mobile Phone System (First usable cellular data network, developed by Bell Systems, introduced in 1978. Also referred to as 1 G (first-generation). AMPS was an analog network which provided only basic network services, was not encrypted, and was not considered secure.)
AMR - anisotropic magneto-resistant head (or magneto-resistive head) (Type of read/write head used to read data stored on PC hard disk drives and to write/save data to hard disk drives.)
AMR - Audio Modem Riser (Communications and networking riser (CNR)) (A special dedicated connector for riser cards designed for specific motherboards offering communications and networking options. A riser is a small circuit board inserted perpendicularly into a motherboard, containing slots for cards.)
ANN - artificial neural network (A mathematical or computational model based on the neural structure of the brain.)
ANSI - American National Standards Institute (Organization composed of government agencies, organizations, educational institutions, businesses, and individuals which sets standards and provides guidelines in various sectors of business, including software development and computer system operations.)
AOD - Advanced Optical Disc (also known as HD-DVD (High-Definition Digital Versatile Disc) (Now-defunct optical disc format which lost to Blu-ray disc (BD) format in the video market.))
AOT - ahead of time compilation (Type of interpreter compiling which translates original code into bytecode, a type of intermediate code which can be converted to machine code, before sending it to the microprocessor for execution.)
AP - access point (wireless access point) (A network device that provides a connection point for hosts to enter a network, although most often associated with wireless clients. For wireless systems, usually a low-power transceiver (transmitter/receiver) that is connected to the local area network (LAN) through a standard network connection.)
APC - American Power Conversion (Company providing power protection equipment, such as uninteruptible power supply (UPS) and standby power supply (SPS) systems.)
API - application programming interface (A software application which allows two different applications or devices to communicate, such as a computer and a printer, by converting an application communication into a format which the sending or receiving device can understand, e.g., encrypting a plaintext message.)
APIC - Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller (Processor in a motherboard's chipset which controls hardware interrupts, or signals to the motherboard that a new request or program routine has priority and must be fulfilled.)
APM - Advanced Power Management (Standard method for integrating power management, as well as system configuration features throughout a PC. Replaced by Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (APCI).)
APNIC - Asia-Pacific Network Information Centre (Regional Internet registry (RIR), a not-for-profit organization that maintains data on companies, organizations, or individuals in the Asia-Pacific region that have registered their IP addresses.)
app/apps - application program (A piece of software that performs a particular function or service for the user. Can be complex, such as a spreadsheet, or a limited-purpose program which simplifies or automates processes, such as smartphone downloadable app which provides quick access to a website or a banking app which allows for account access or facilitates deposits.)
Appinfo - Application Information (Service in the Windows operating system which mediates session access.)
APS - Analog Protection System (Protection system employed to prevent or limit copying of recorded material or commercial media, such as movies, on DVD-Video discs.)
APT - advanced persistent threat (Term used for long-term threats, or attacks which are not limited to one-time attempts to access a system. Usually applied to very skillful, well-funded, and sometimes nation-state supported attackers.)
APU - accelerated processing unit (also known as a graphics processing unit (GPU)) (Component of a PC video system (video display adapter) which processes graphics data and transmits the signals which will appear on the computer monitor. APU is the term used by AMD for its processors.)
ARIN - American Registry for Internet Numbers (A regional Internet registry (RIR) - a not-for-profit organization that maintains data on companies, organizations, or individuals - for those who have registered their IP addresses in America, Canada, some Caribbean countries, and North Atlantic islands.)
ARLL - advanced run length limited encoding (Method of disk encoding (converting raw binary data into a form which can be stored on disk) which allows for higher density storage. RLL proved unreliable and is considered obsolete.)
ARO - annualized (annual) rate of occurrence (The number of times a negative event is expected to occur on a yearly basis.)
ARP - Address Resolution Protocol (Protocol which correlates the IP (Internet Protocol) address number assigned with the phsical hardware/computer address based on the network interface card (NIC). Correlates the media access control (MAC) address (48-bit address burned into each network card), with a known IP address.)
AS - attack surface (The components of a system that a hacker/attacker can hack or gain access to - e.g., installed software and services, endpoints, e-mail and Internet connections, printers and attached devices, or Internet of Things (IoT) devices.)
AS - authentication server (A server in a key encryption system, which authenticates a user by means of a pre-exchanged secret key based on the user's password.)
AS - Autonomous System (Term for individual networks on the Internet, which are independently controlled by different service providers and organizations.)
ASCII - American Standard Code for Information Interchange (A standard code for representing characters as numbers that is used on most microcomputers, computer terminals, and printers.)
ASCR - ASUS (company) Smart Contrast Ratio
ASID - address space identification
ASIO - audio stream input/output
ASLR - address space layout randomization (memory addressing)
ASN - Autonomous System Number (organization identification number)
ASO - Address Supporting Organization
ASP - Active Server Pages (System, on Windows web servers, for generating web pages partly or completely by computation by running scripts within the web pages as they are delivered to the client.)
ASP - application service provider (A network service that provides application software, such as networked database programs, usually by leasing the software or service, for a monthly subscription fee based on the number of users.)
ASP - application server provider
AT - advanced technology
AT - advanced threat (Type of sophisticated attacker with highly-developed technical skills who uses a systematic approach to attacks and choice of victims, thinks strategically, and prefers anonymity.)
ATA - Advanced Technology Attachment
ATAPI - Advanced Technology Attachment Packet Interface
ATIP - absolute time in pre-groove (writable compact discs)
ATM - Asynchronous Transfer Mode (A high-speed network technology used in wide area networks (WANs) which encapsulates data in packets, known as "cells" of fixed size.)
ATM - Automated Teller Machine (Computer terminal allowing bank customers to make deposits, obtain cash from checking or savings accounts, pay bills, transfer money between accounts, and do other transactions available at a bank teller window.)
ATP - Advanced Threat Protection (General term for software or system defenses with the capability to provide protection against advanced threats.)
AT&T - American Telephone and Telegraph (U.S. company which held a monopoly on the telephone communications industry in the United States until January 1, 1984, when it agreed to split into seven regional Bell operating companies (RBOCs).)
ATX - Advance Technology eXtended
AUI - attachment unit interface
AUP - Acceptable Use Policy (An organizational policy that describes or defines, for employees, what is acceptable or unacceptable, or what is allowed or not allowed, when it comes to using organizational computing resources, as well as the consequences of unacceptable use.)
AUP - Authorized Use Policy (A screen or warning banner that is displayed at account login informing the user of various requirements or policies they must agree to prior to, or during, the use of company resources, which may also require acknowledgment by clicking a continue button.)
AV - antivirus software (A software program installed on a system which operates to defend against viruses in different ways, such as scanning drives and files to identify viruses and virus code, blocking or preventing them from gaining access to, or being installed on a system, isolating or deleting them once identified, or disabling them and preventing them from executing.)
AV - armored virus (A virus which uses advanced techniques to avoid detection and analysis, such as the ability to change the types of files and locations it hides in, the use of encryption to hide the virus code, and even the ability to change its code.)
AV - Asset Value (A value assigned to an asset; usually expressed in terms of dollars. Asset value calculations may involve the cost to repair or replace an asset, such as the cost to replace a computer but may also include the revenue an asset generates, such as the product sales manufacturing equipment generates.)
AVCHD - Advanced Video Coding High Definition
AVX - advanced vector extensions (processors)
AWS - Amazon Web Services (A cloud service offered by Amazon, introduced in 2006, which provides an infrastructure platform, including computing and networking services, as well as storage, database, and application services.)