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interconnected system

nounverified·updated Aug 30, 2026

A configuration of two or more distinct IT systems—spanning organizational, network, or authorization boundaries—that are directly linked for the purpose of sharing data, resources, or services. What distinguishes it from a single system with internal components is the presence of a cross-boundary connection that introduces shared risk: each party's security and privacy posture can affect the other's, which is why authority documents treat the connection itself as a security object requiring its own governance instruments (interconnection security agreements, architectural controls, and joint authorization). In practice, standards bodies use the term to frame obligations such as mandating specific architectural constraints, documenting mutual protection requirements, and maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information as it moves across the join.

Framework senses

NIST SP 800-171r31 senseview framework →
§1 · attested_usage_reviewer_confirmed
No definition is given in NIST SP 800-171r3. The term is attested in use at 3 citations in that document; a definition is pending curation.
Increment 2: attested in 800-171r3 without a glossary definition.
Legacy lexicon import1 senseview framework →
§1 · web_lookup_draft
A configuration of two or more distinct IT systems—spanning organizational, network, or authorization boundaries—that are directly linked for the purpose of sharing data, resources, or services. What distinguishes it from a single system with internal components is the presence of a cross-boundary connection that introduces shared risk: each party's security and privacy posture can affect the other's, which is why authority documents treat the connection itself as a security object requiring its own governance instruments (interconnection security agreements, architectural controls, and joint authorization). In practice, standards bodies use the term to frame obligations such as mandating specific architectural constraints, documenting mutual protection requirements, and maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information as it moves across the join.
DR-088 backfill from the noun definition column