ITAR, DFARS, DIB, CMMI, CMMC, FCI, CUI, GCC, ATP, AOS-G. After a few months of working in any specialized area, particularly within the DoD, or IT arenas, you become desensitized to the constant flow of acronyms and initialisms. When seeking to meet CMMC compliance, it becomes a double challenge as you now need to understand CMMC definitions across both the Defense Industrial Base, but also Microsoft, CyberSecurity and a blinding array of reference frameworks and influencing regulations.
The following glossary is adapted from the DOD’s CMMC 1.0 Appendices and re-published here as a service to our readers and clients looking into GCC High for CMMC Compliance. We have opted to leave even the simplest definitions intact, as the CMMC definitions will be the defacto standard for use of terms by CMMC Auditors. We also hope this will help CEOs, Compliance Managers, and IT leadership speak the same language.
The set of ways in which an attacker can gain unauthorized access to and potentially perform malicious actions on a system. The larger the attack surface, the more opportunities exist to identify flaws and vulnerabilities with an environment.
Source: CMMC
Access control based on attributes associated with and about subjects, objects, targets, initiators, resources, or the environment. An access control rule set defines the combination of attributes under which an access may take place.
See also Glossary: Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM)
Source: CNSSI 4009
Independent review and examination of records and activities to assess the adequacy of system controls, to ensure compliance with established policies and operational procedures, and to recommend necessary changes in controls, policies, or procedures.
Source: NIST SP 800-32
A chronological record of system activities. Includes records of system accesses and operations performed in a given period.
Source: CNSSI 4009
An individual entry in an audit log related to an audited event.
Source: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 4
A security measure designed to protect a communications system against acceptance of fraudulent transmission or simulation by establishing the validity of a transmission, message, originator, or a means of verifying an individual’s eligibility to receive specific categories of information.
Source: CNSSI 4005, NSA/CSS Manual Number 3-16
The means used to confirm the identity of a user, processor, or device (e.g., user password or token).
Source: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 4
Data provided by an Authoritative Source.
Source: CMMC
An entity that has access to, or verified copies of, accurate information from an issuing source such that a CSP (Credential Service Provider) can confirm the validity of the identity evidence supplied by an applicant during identity proofing. An issuing source may also be an authoritative source. Often, authoritative sources are determined by a policy decision of the agency or CSP before they can be used in the identity proofing validation phase.
Source: NIST SP 800-63-3
A learning process that sets the stage for training by changing individual and organizational attitudes to realize the importance of security and the adverse consequences of its failure.
Source: NIST SP 800-16
Explains proper rules of behavior for the use of agency information systems and information. The program communicates information technology (IT) security policies and procedures that need to be followed. (i.e., NSTISSD 501, NIST SP 800-50).
Source: CNSSI 4009
A copy of files and programs made to facilitate recovery, if necessary.
Source: NIST SP 800-34, CNSSI 4009
Hardware, software, databases, and relevant documentation for an information system at a given point in time.
Source: CNSSI 4009
A set of specifications for a system, or Configuration Item (CI) within a system, that has been formally reviewed and agreed on at a given point in time, and which can be changed only through change control procedures. The baseline configuration is used as a basis for future builds, releases, and/or changes.
Source: NIST SP 800-128
The minimum security controls required for safeguarding an IT system based on its identified needs for confidentiality, integrity, and/or availability protection.
Source: NIST SP 800-16
Monitoring resources to determine typical utilization patterns so that significant deviations can be detected.
Source: NIST SP 800-61
A list of discrete entities, such as IP addresses, host names, applications, software libraries, and so forth that have been previously determined to be associated with malicious activity thus requiring access or execution restrictions.
Source: NIST SP 800-114 (adapted), NIST SP 800-94 (adapted), CNSSI 4009 (adapted)
See Glossary: Blacklist
A list of applications (software) and software libraries that are forbidden to execute on an organizational asset.
Source: NIST SP 800-94 (adapted)
Source: CNSSI 4009 (adapted)
An incident where an adversary has gained access to the internal network of an organization or an organizationally owned asset in a manner that breaks the organizational policy for accessing cyber assets and results in the loss of information, data, or asset. A breach usually consists of the loss of an asset due to the gained access.
Source: CMMC
Capabilities are achievements to ensure cybersecurity objectives are met within each domain. Capabilities are met through the employment of practices and processes. Each domain is comprised of a set of capabilities.
Source: CMMC
Term used to identify information that requires protection under DFARS Clause 252.204- 7012. Unclassified controlled technical information (CTI) or other information, as described in the CUI Registry, that requires safeguarding or dissemination controls pursuant to and consistent with law, regulations, and Government wide policies and is:
Source: DFARS Clause 252.204-7012
Process of regulating and approving changes to hardware, firmware, software, and documentation throughout the development and operational life cycle of an information system.
Source: NIST SP 800-128, CNSSI 4009
See Glossary: Change Control
Data in its encrypted form.
Source: NIST SP 800-57 Part 1 Rev 3
Verification that the planned cybersecurity of the system is being properly and effectively implemented and operated, usually through the use of assessments / audits.
Source: CMMC
Preserving authorized restrictions on information access and disclosure, including means for protecting personal privacy and proprietary information.
Source: 44 U.S. Code Sec 3542
An aggregation of information system components that is designated for configuration management and treated as a single entity in the configuration management process.
Source: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 4
A collection of activities focused on establishing and maintaining the integrity of information technology products and information systems, through control of processes for initializing, changing, and monitoring the configurations of those products and systems throughout the system development life cycle.
Source: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 4
Effect (change or non-change), usually associated with an event or condition or with the system and usually allowed, facilitated, caused, prevented, changed, or contributed to by the event, condition, or system.
Container (Information Asset Container)
A physical or logical location where assets are stored, transported, and processed. A container can encompass technical containers (servers, network segments, personal computers), physical containers (paper, file rooms, storage spaces, or other media such as CDs, disks, and flash drives), and people (including people who might have detailed knowledge about the information asset).
Source: CERT RMM v1.2
The ability of a system or system component to gather information about its environment at any given time and adapt behaviors accordingly. Contextual or context-aware computing uses software and hardware to automatically collect and analyze data to guide responses.
Source: CMMC
Establish thorough plans, procedures, and technical measures the ability for a system to be recovered as quickly and effectively as possible following a service disruption.
Source: NIST SP 800-34 Rev 1 (adapted)
The methods, policies, and procedures—manual or automated—used by an organization to safeguard and protect assets, promote efficiency, or adhere to standards. A measure that is modifying risk. (Note: controls include any process, policy, device, practice, or other actions which modify risk.)
Source: NISTIR 8053 (adapted)
See Glossary: CUI
See Glossary: CDI
Information that requires safeguarding or dissemination controls pursuant to and consistent with law, regulations, and government-wide policies, excluding information that is classified under Executive Order 13526, Classified National Security Information, December 29, 2009, or any predecessor or successor order, or the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended.
Source: E.O. 13556 (adapted)
See Glossary: Asset Custodian
Prevention of damage to, protection of, and restoration of computers, electronic communications systems, electronic communications services, wire communication, and electronic communication, including information contained therein, to ensure its availability, integrity, authentication, confidentiality, and nonrepudiation.
Source: NSPD-54/HSPD-23
The worldwide industrial complex that enables research and development, as well as design, production, delivery, and maintenance of military weapons systems, subsystems, and components or parts, to meet U.S. military requirements.
Source: DIB Sector-Specific Plan, DHS CISA
A managed process that is tailored from the organization’s set of standard processes according to the organization’s tailoring guidelines; has a maintained process description; and contributes work products, measures, and other process improvement information to organizational process assets.
Source: CERT RMM v1.2
When an entity has access to, control of, ownership in, possession of, responsibility for, or other defined obligations related to one or more assets or services of the organization.
Source: CERT RMM v1.2 (adapted)
Perimeter network segment that is logically between internal and external networks. Its purpose is to enforce the internal network’s Information Assurance (IA) policy for external information exchange and to provide external, untrusted sources with restricted access to releasable information while shielding the internal networks from outside attacks.
Source: CNSSI 4009
See Glossary: Defense Industrial Base
See Glossary: Demilitarized Zone
Information that is written, printed, or in electronic form that serves as evidence for practices, capabilities, procedures, maturity or processes performed by an organization.
Source: CMMC
Domains are sets of capabilities that are based on cybersecurity best practices. There are 17 domains within CMMC. Each domain is assessed for practice and process maturity across five defined levels.
Source: CMMC
The process of changing plaintext into cipher text.
Source: NISTIR 7621 Rev 1, CNSSI 4009
Policies that manage the use, storage, disposal, and protection of cryptographic keys used to protect organization data and communications.
Source: CERT RMM v1.2
An organization with a defined mission/goal and a defined boundary, using information systems to execute that mission, and with responsibility for managing its own risks and performance. An enterprise may consist of all or some of the following business aspects: acquisition, program management, financial management (e.g., budgets), human resources, security, and information systems, information and mission management.
Source: CNSSI 4009
The description of an enterprise’s entire set of information systems: how they are configured, how they are integrated, how they interface to the external environment at the enterprise’s boundary, how they are operated to support the enterprise mission, and how they contribute to the enterprise’s overall security posture.
Source: CNSSI 4009
Whenever “establish and maintain” (or “established and maintained”) is used as a phrase, it refers not only to the development and maintenance of the object of the practice (such as a policy) but to the documentation of the object and observable usage of the object. For example, “Formal agreements with external entities are established and maintained” means that not only are the agreements formulated, but they also are documented, have assigned ownership, and are maintained relative to corrective actions, changes in requirements, or improvements.
Source: CERT RMM v1.2
Any observable occurrence in a system and/or network. Events sometimes provide an indication that an incident is occurring.
See Glossary: Incident
Source: CNSSI 4009
Finding relationships between two or more events.
Source: NIST SP 800-92
A simulation of an emergency designed to validate the viability of one or more aspects of an information technology plan.
Source: NIST SP 800-84
Physical means or equipment for facilitating the performance of an action, e.g., buildings, instruments, tools.
Source: NIST SP 800-160
Federal contract information means information, not intended for public release, that is provided by or generated for the Government under a contract to develop or deliver a product or service to the Government, but not including information provided by the Government to the public (such as on public Web sites) or simple transactional information, such as necessary to process payments.
Source: 48 CFR § 52.204-21
Trust established within a federation or organization, enabling each of the mutually trusting realms to share and use trust information (e.g., credentials) obtained from any of the other mutually trusting realms. This trust can be established across computer systems and networks architectures.
Source: NIST SP 800-95
A collection of realms (domains) that have established trust among themselves. The level of trust may vary, but typically includes authentication and may include authorization.
Source: NIST SP 800-95
A device or program that controls the flow of network traffic between networks or hosts that employ differing security postures.
Source: NIST SP 800-41 Rev 1
Assets, organization information systems, information, and data for which an unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction could cause a significant impact to the organization’s interests, relations, economy, or to the employee or stockholder confidence, civil liberties, or health and safety of the organization’s people. HVAs may contain sensitive controls, instructions, data used in critical organization operations, or unique collections of data (by size or content), or support an organization’s mission essential functions, making them of specific value to criminal, politically motivated, or state sponsored actor for either direct exploitation or to cause a loss of confidence in the organization.
Source: OMB M-17-09 (adapted)
Services built upon High-value Assets which the success of the organization’s mission depends.
Source: CMMC
See Glossary: Identity, Credential, and Access Management
The set of attribute values (i.e., characteristics) by which an entity is recognizable and that, within the scope of an identity manager’s responsibility, is sufficient to distinguish that entity from any other entity. Note: This also encompasses non-person entities (NPEs).
Source: NIST SP 800-161, NISTIR 7622, CNSSI 4009
Access control based on the identity of the user (typically relayed as a characteristic of the process acting on behalf of that user) where access authorizations to specific objects are assigned based on user identity.
Source: CERT RMM v1.2
Programs, processes, technologies, and personnel used to create trusted digital identity representations of individuals and non-person entities (NPEs), bind those identities to credentials that may serve as a proxy for the individual or NPE in access transactions, and leverage the credentials to provide authorized access to an organization‘s resources.
See also Glossary: Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC)
Source: CNSSI 4009 (adapted)
Identity management system comprised of one or more systems or applications that manages the identity verification, validation, and issuance process.
Source: NISTIR 8149
An occurrence that actually or potentially jeopardizes the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of a system or the information the system processes, stores, or transmits or that constitutes a violation or imminent threat of violation of security policies, security procedures, or acceptable use policies.
Source: NIST SP 800-171 Rev 1
The mitigation of violations of security policies and recommended practices. Source: CNSSI 4009 under incident handling (NIST SP 800-61 Rev. 2)
See Glossary: Incident Handling
A person or organization with a vested interest in the management of an incident throughout its life cycle.
Source: CERT RMM v1.2
See Glossary: Container
See Glossary: Asset Owner
The flow of information or connectivity from one location to another. This can be related to data as well as connectivity from one system to another, or from one security domain to another. The authorization granting permission for information flow comes from a control authority granting permission to an entity, asset, role, or group.
Source: CMMC
Any person with authorized access to any organization or United States Government resource to include personnel, facilities, information, equipment, networks, or systems.
Source: CNSSD No. 504
The threat that an insider will use her/his authorized access, wittingly or unwittingly, to do harm to the security of the organization or the United States. This threat can include damage to the United States through espionage, terrorism, unauthorized disclosure, or through the loss or degradation of departmental resources or capabilities.
Source: CNSSD No. 504 (adapted)
A coordinated collection of capabilities authorized by the Department/Agency (D/A) that is organized to deter, detect, and mitigate the unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information.
Source: CNSSD No. 504
The action of establishing something as a convention or norm in an organization or culture.
Source: Oxford Dictionary
The security objective that generates the requirement for protection against either intentional or accidental attempts to violate data integrity (the property that data has not been altered in an unauthorized manner) or system integrity (the quality that a system has when it performs its intended function in an unimpaired manner, free from unauthorized manipulation).
Source: NIST SP 800-33
The physical or virtual verification of the presence of each organizational asset.
Source: CNSSI 4005 (adapted)
A security principle that restricts the access privileges of authorized personnel (e.g., program execution privileges, file modification privileges) to the minimum necessary to perform their jobs.
Source: NIST SP 800-57 Part 2
Evolution of a system, product, service, project, or other human-made entity from conception through retirement.
Source: NIST SP 800-161
Any act that either prevents the failure or malfunction of equipment or restores its operating capability.
Source: NIST SP 800-82 Rev 2
Software or firmware intended to perform an unauthorized process that will have adverse impact on the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of an information system. A virus, worm, Trojan horse, or other code-based entity that infects a host. Spyware and some forms of adware are also examples of malicious code (malware).
Source: NIST SP 800-82 Rev 2
A maturity model is a set of characteristics, attributes, or indicators that represent progression in a particular domain. A maturity model allows an organization or industry to have its practices, processes, and methods evaluated against a clear set of requirements (such as activities or processes) that define specific maturity levels. At any given maturity level, an organization is expected to exhibit the capabilities of that level. A tool that helps assess the current effectiveness of an organization, and supports determining what capabilities they need in order to obtain the next level of maturity in order to continue progression up the levels of the model.
Source: CERT RMM v1.2
Physical devices or writing surfaces including but not limited to, magnetic tapes, optical disks, magnetic disks, Large-scale integration (LSI) memory chips, printouts (but not including display media) onto which information is recorded, stored, or printed within an information system.
Source: FIPS PUB 200
The actions taken to render data written on media unrecoverable by both ordinary and extraordinary means.
Source: NIST SP 800-88 Rev 1
Software programs or parts of programs obtained from remote information systems, transmitted across a network, and executed on a local information system without explicit installation or execution by the recipient. Note: Some examples of software technologies that provide the mechanisms for the production and use of mobile code include Java, JavaScript, ActiveX, VBScript, etc.
Source: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 4, NIST SP 800-18, CNSSI 4009
A portable computing device that:
Note: If the device only has storage capability and is not capable of processing or transmitting/receiving information, then it is considered a portable storage device, not a mobile device.
See Glossary: Portable Storage Device
Source: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 4
Authentication using two or more different factors to achieve authentication. Factors include something you know (e.g., PIN, password); something you have (e.g., cryptographic identification device, token); or something you are (e.g., biometric).
See also Glossary: Authenticator
Source: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 4
Actions occurring, indefinitely. Actions that do not stop unless a stop action is purposely put in place.
Source: CMMC
The ability of systems to resist, absorb, and recover from or adapt to an adverse occurrence during operation that may cause harm, destruction, or loss of ability to perform mission- related functions.
Source: CNSSI 4009
An entity of any size, complexity, or positioning within an organizational structure (e.g., a federal agency, or, as appropriate, any of its operational elements).
See Glossary: Enterprise
Source: NIST SP 800-37 Rev 1
The company that is going through the CMMC assessment process to receive a level of certification for a given environment.
Source: CMMC
See Glossary: Organization Seeking Certification
An update to an operating system, application, or other software issued specifically to correct particular problems with the software.
Source: NIST SP 800-123
Security testing in which evaluators mimic real-world attacks in an attempt to identify ways to circumvent the security features of an application, system, or network. Penetration testing often involves issuing real attacks on real systems and data, using the same tools and techniques used by actual attackers. Most penetration tests involve looking for combinations of vulnerabilities on a single system or multiple systems that can be used to gain more access than could be achieved through a single vulnerability.
Source: NIST SP 800-115
See Glossary: Penetration Testing
Organizationally defined regularly occurring intervals, with a timeframe not to exceed one year.
Source: Oxford Dictionary (adapted)
Information which can be used to distinguish or trace the identity of an individual (e.g., name, social security number, biometric records) alone, or when combined with other personal or identifying information which is linked or linkable to a specific individual (e.g., date and place of birth, mother’s maiden name).
Source: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 4
See Glossary: Personally Identifiable Information
A system component that can be inserted into and removed from a system, and that is used to store data or information (e.g., text, video, audio, and/or image data). Such components are typically implemented on magnetic, optical, or solid-state devices (e.g., floppy disks, compact/digital video disks, flash/thumb drives, external hard disk drives, and flash memory cards/drives that contain nonvolatile memory).
Source: NIST SP 800-171 Rev 1
A specific technical activity or activities that are required and performed to achieve a specific level of cybersecurity maturity for a given capability within a domain.
Source: CMMC
A right granted to an individual, a program, or a process.
Source: CNSSI 4009, NIST SP 800-12 Rev 1
A specific procedural activity that is required and performed to achieve a capability level. Processes detail maturity of institutionalization of the practices.
Source: CMMC
An application that “breaks” the connection between client and server. The proxy accepts certain types of traffic entering or leaving a network and processes it and forwards it.
Note: This effectively closes the straight path between the internal and external networks making it more difficult for an attacker to obtain internal addresses and other details of the organization’s internal network. Proxy servers are available for common Internet services; for example, a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP/HTTPS) proxy used for Web access.
Source: CNSSI 4009 (adapted)
Actions necessary to restore data files of an information system and computational capability after a system failure.
Source: CNSSI 4009
A group of people authorized and organized to emulate a potential adversary’s attack or exploitation capabilities against an enterprise’s security posture. The Red Team’s objective is to improve enterprise Information Assurance by demonstrating the impacts of successful attacks and by demonstrating what works for the defenders (i.e., the Blue Team) in an operational environment.
Source: CNSSI 4009
The act(s) performed by a “red team” in order to identify weaknesses, vulnerabilities, procedural shortcomings, and misconfigurations within an organization’s cyber environment. Red Teaming includes creation of a “Rules of Engagement” document by which the red team honors over the course of their actions. It is expected that the Red Team will produce a final report at the end of the event period.
Source: CMMC
On a regular basis: at regular intervals.
Source: Oxford Dictionary
Portable data storage medium that can be added to or removed from a computing device or network. Note: Examples include, but are not limited to: optical discs (CD, DVD, Blu-ray); external/removable hard drives; external/removable Solid-State Disk (SSD) drives; magnetic/optical tapes; flash memory devices (USB, eSATA, Flash Drive, Thumb Drive); flash memory cards (Secure Digital, CompactFlash, Memory Stick, MMC, xD); and other external/removable disks (floppy, Zip, Jaz, Bernoulli, UMD).
See Glossary: Portable Storage Device
Source: CNSSI 4009
An oral or written description of something, such as an event or situation.
Source: NYSSCPA
The final phase of the computer and network forensic process, which involves reporting the results of the analysis; this may include describing the actions used, explaining how tools and procedures were selected, determining what other actions need to be performed (e.g., forensic examination of additional data sources, securing identified vulnerabilities, improving existing security controls), and providing recommendations for improvement to policies, guidelines, procedures, tools, and other aspects of the forensic process. The formality of the reporting step varies greatly depending on the situation.
Source: NIST SP 800-86
Portion of risk remaining after security measures have been applied.
Source: NIST SP 800-33 (adapted)
The ability to prepare for and adapt to changing conditions and withstand and recover rapidly from disruptions. Resilience includes the ability to withstand and recover from deliberate attacks, accidents, or naturally occurring threats or incidents.
Source: PPD 21
A measure of the extent to which an entity is threatened by a potential circumstance or event, and typically a function of:
System-related security risks are those risks that arise from the loss of confidentiality, integrity, or availability of information or systems. Such risks reflect the potential adverse impacts to organizational operations, organizational assets, individuals, other organizations, and the Nation.
Source: FIPS 200 (adapted)
The process of identifying the risks to system security and determining the likelihood of occurrence, the resulting impact, and the additional safeguards that mitigate this impact. Part of risk management and synonymous with risk assessment.
Source: NIST SP 800-27
Source: NIST SP 800-171
The program and supporting processes to manage information security risk to organizational operations (including mission, functions, image, reputation), organizational assets, individuals, other organizations, and the Nation, and includes:
Prioritizing, evaluating, and implementing the appropriate risk-reducing controls/countermeasures recommended from the risk management process.
Source: CNSSI 4009
A strategy for mitigating risk that seeks to minimize the risk to an acceptable level.
Source: CERT RMM v1.2
The level of risk an entity is willing to assume in order to achieve a potential desired result.
Source: CNSSI 4009
An approach for determining the underlying causes of events or problems as a means of addressing the symptoms of such events as they manifest in organizational disruptions.
Source: CERT RMM v1.2
The protective measures prescribed to meet the security requirements (i.e., confidentiality, integrity, and availability) specified for an information system. Safeguards may include security features, management constraints, personnel security, and security of physical structures, areas, and devices. Synonymous with security controls and countermeasures.
Source: FIPS PUB 200
A restricted, controlled execution environment that prevents potentially malicious software, such as mobile code, from accessing any system resources except those for which the software is authorized.
Source: CNSSI 4009
Sending packets or requests to another system to gain knowledge about the asset, processes, services, and operations.
Source: CNSSI 4009 (adapted)
See Glossary: Supply Chain Risk Management
See Glossary: Security Control Assessment
The testing or evaluation of security controls to determine the extent to which the controls are implemented correctly, operating as intended, and producing the desired outcome with respect to meeting the security requirements for a system or organization.
Source: CNSSI 4009 (adapted)
An environment or context that includes a set of system resources and a set of system entities that have the right to access the resources as defined by a common security policy, security model, or security architecture.
Source: CNSSI 4009 under domain (NIST SP 800-53 Rev 4)
A centralized function within an organization utilizing people, processes, and technologies to continuously monitor and improve an organization’s security posture while preventing, detecting, analyzing, and responding to cybersecurity incidents.
Source: CMMC
Security policies define the objectives and constraints for the security program. Policies are created at several levels, ranging from organization or corporate policy to specific operational constraints (e.g., remote access). In general, policies provide answers to the questions “what” and “why” without dealing with “how.” Policies are normally stated in terms that are technology-independent.
Source: NIST SP 800-82 Rev 2
See Glossary: Security Control Assessment
Information where the loss, misuse, or unauthorized access or modification could adversely affect the national interest or the conduct of federal programs, or the privacy to which individuals are entitled under 5 U.S.C. Section 552a (the Privacy Act).
Source: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 4 (adapted)
A service-specific plan for sustaining services and associated assets under degraded conditions.
Source: CERT RMM v1.2
Within a volume of time and space, the perception of an enterprise’s security posture and its threat environment; the comprehension/meaning of both taken together (risk); and the projection of their status into the near future.
Source: CNSSI 4009
See Glossary: Security Operations Center
The process of allowing a remote user or device to establish a non-remote connection with a system and simultaneously communicate via some other connection to a resource in an external network. This method of network access enables a user to access remote devices (e.g., a networked printer) at the same time as accessing uncontrolled networks.
Source: NIST SP 800-171
Software that is secretly or surreptitiously installed into an information system to gather information on individuals or organizations without their knowledge; a type of malicious code.
Source: CNSSI 4009, NIST SP 800-128, NIST SP 800-53 Rev 4
A document, established by consensus and approved by a recognized body, that provides for common and repeated use, rules, guidelines or characteristics for activities or their results, aimed at the achievement of the optimum degree of order in a given context.
Note: Standards should be based on the consolidated results of science, technology and experience, and aimed at the promotion of optimum community benefits.
Source: NISTIR 8074 Vol. 2
An operational definition of the basic process that guides the establishment of a common process in an organization. A standard process describes the fundamental process elements that are expected to be incorporated into any defined process. It also describes relationships (e.g., ordering, interfaces) among these process elements.
See Glossary: Defined Process
Source: CERT RMM v1.2
A subordinate part of an organization’s enterprise network.
Source: CMMC
A system of organizations, people, activities, information, and resources, possibly international in scope, that provides products or services to consumers.
Source: CNSSI 4009
Attacks that allow the adversary to utilize implants or other vulnerabilities inserted prior to installation in order to infiltrate data, or manipulate information technology hardware, software, operating systems, peripherals (information technology products) or services at any point during the life cycle.
Source: CNSSI 4009
A systematic process for managing supply chain risk by identifying susceptibilities, vulnerabilities, and threats throughout the supply chain and developing mitigation strategies to combat those threats whether presented by the supplier, the supplied product and its subcomponents, or the supply chain (e.g., initial production, packaging, handling, storage, transport, mission operation, and disposal).
Source: CNSSD No. 505
Maintain a desired operational state.
Source: CERT RMM v1.2
A discrete set of information resources organized for the collection, processing, maintenance, use, sharing, dissemination, or disposition of information. [Note: Information systems also include specialized systems such as industrial/process controls systems, telephone switching and private branch exchange (PBX) systems, and environmental control systems.]
Source: FIPS 200, FIPS 199, CNSSI 4009
Any software, hardware (IT, OT, IoT), data, administrative, physical, communications, or personnel resource within an information system.
Source: CNSSI 4009
The quality that a system has when it performs its intended function in an unimpaired manner, free from unauthorized manipulation of the system, whether intentional or accidental.
Source: NIST SP 800-27
The formal document prepared by the information system owner (or common security controls owner for inherited controls) that provides an overview of the security requirements for the system and describes the security controls in place or planned for meeting those requirements. The plan can also contain as supporting appendices or as references, other key security-related documents such as a risk assessment, privacy impact assessment, system interconnection agreements, contingency plan, security configurations, configuration management plan, and incident response plan.
Source: CNSSI 4009
An intentional but unauthorized act resulting in the modification of a system, components of systems, its intended behavior, or data.
Source: DHS Information Technology Sector Baseline Risk Assessment (adapted)
Any circumstance or event with the potential to adversely impact organizational operations (including mission, functions, image, or reputation), organizational assets, individuals, other organizations, or the Nation through an information system via unauthorized access, destruction, disclosure, modification of information, and/or denial of service.
Source: NIST SP 800-30 Rev 1
An individual or a group posing a threat.
Source: NIST SP 800-150
Threat information that has been aggregated, transformed, analyzed, interpreted, or enriched to provide the necessary context for decision-making processes.
Source: NIST SP 800-150
Analysis, assessment, and review of audit trails and other information collected for the purpose of searching out system events that may constitute violations of system security.
Source: CNSSI 4009
Removable storage device that utilizes the USB port of a system for data transfer, and the device is relatively the size of a human thumb.
Source: CMMC
A set of logic statements to be applied to a data stream that produces an event when an anomalous incident or behavior occurs.
Source: CNSSD No. 504 (adapted)
A computer program that appears to have a useful function, but also has a hidden and potentially malicious function that evades security mechanisms, sometimes by exploiting legitimate authorizations of a system entity that invokes the program.
Source: CNSSI 4009
Technology enabling one network to send its data via another network’s connections. Tunneling works by encapsulating a network protocol within packets carried by the second network.
Source: CNSSI 4009
Any access that violates the stated security policy.
Source: CNSSI 4009
Individual, or (system) process acting on behalf of an individual, authorized to access an information system.
Source: NIST SP 800-53 Rev 4, NIST SP 800-18, CNSSI 4009
A computer program that can copy itself and infect a computer without permission or knowledge of the user. A virus might corrupt or delete data on a computer, use e-mail programs to spread itself to other computers, or even erase everything on a hard disk.
See Glossary: Malicious Code
Source: CNSSI 4009
Weakness in an information system, system security procedures, internal controls, or implementation that could be exploited by a threat source.
Source: NIST SP 800-30 Rev 1
Systematic examination of an information system or product to determine the adequacy of security measures, identify security deficiencies, provide data from which to predict the effectiveness of proposed security measures, and confirm the adequacy of such measures after implementation.
Source: CNSSI 4009
An Information Security Continuous Monitoring (ISCM) capability that identifies vulnerabilities [Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs)] on devices that are likely to be used by attackers to compromise a device and use it as a platform from which to extend compromise to the network.
Source: NISTIR 8011 Vol. 1
See Glossary: Proxy
An approved list or register of entities that are provided a particular privilege, service, mobility, access or recognition.
An implementation of a default deny-all or allow-by-exception policy across an enterprise environment, and a clear, concise, timely process for adding exceptions when required for mission accomplishments.
Source: CNSSI 1011
| Acronym | Definition |
| AA | Audit and Accountability |
| AC | Access Control |
| ACSC | Australian Cyber Security Centre |
| AIA | Aerospace Industries Association |
| AM | Asset Management |
| APT | Advanced Persistent Threat |
| AT | Awareness and Training |
| CDI | Covered Defense Information |
| CERT | Computer Emergency Response Team |
| CFR | Code of Federal Regulations |
| CIS | Center for Internet Security |
| CM | Configuration Management |
| CMMC | Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification |
| CNSSI | Committee on National Security Systems Instructions |
| CSF | Cybersecurity Framework |
| CSP | Credential Service Provider |
| CUI | Controlled Unclassified Information |
| CTI | Controlled Technical Information |
| CVE | Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures |
| DFARS | Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement |
| DIB | Defense Industrial Base |
| DNS | Domain Name System |
| DoD | Department of Defense |
| FAR | Federal Acquisition Regulation |
| FCI | Federal Contract Information |
| FIPS | Federal Information Processing Standards |
| IDA | Identification and Authentication |
| IEC | International Electrotechnical Commission |
| ISAC | Information Sharing and Analysis Center |
| ISAO | Information Sharing and Analysis Organization |
| ISO | International Organization for Standardization |
| ISCM | Information Security Continuous Monitoring |
| ITIL | Information Technology Infrastructure Library |
| L# | Level number # |
| MA | Maintenance |
| MC## | Maturity Capability number |
| ML | Maturity Level |
| ML# | Maturity Level number # |
| MP | Media Protection |
| N/A | Not Applicable (NA) |
| NAS | National Aerospace Standard |
| NCSC | National Cyber Security Centre |
| NIST | National Institute of Standards and Technology |
| NISTIR | NIST Interagency Report |
| OUSD A&S | Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment |
| PP | Physical Protection |
| PS | Personnel Security |
| PUB | Publication |
| RE | Recovery |
| Rev | Revision |
| RM | Risk Management |
| RMM | Risk Management Model |
| SA | Situational Awareness |
| SAS | Security Assessment |
| SCP | System and Communications Protections |
| SII | System and Information Integrity |
| SP | Special Publication |
| TTP | Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures |
| UK | United Kingdom |
| URL | Uniform Resource Locator |
| US | United States |
| VoIP | Voice over Internet Protocol |
| Vol | Volume |
