Covert Channel
nounverified· unreviewed·updated Aug 30, 2026
An unauthorized communication path that manipulates a communications medium in an unexpected, unconventional, or unforeseen way in order to transmit information without detection by anyone other than the entities operating the covert channel.
MWENISTIR 7298: Glossary of Key Information Security Terms, Revision 2
Senses
SANS Glossary of Security Terms
Covert Channels are the means by which information can be communicated between two parties in a covert fashion using normal system operations. For example by changing the amount of hard drive space that is available on a file server can be used to communicate information.
NIST SP 800-171r3attested usage pack match
No definition is given in NIST SP 800-171r3. The term is attested in use at 1 citation in that document; a definition is pending curation.
Classifications
Entity Type
Vulnerability0%rule-basedmulti_axis_classifier_low_confidence.v1
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Sensitivity
Restricted70%llm-generatedllm:claude-haiku-4-5
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Information Class
Cui70%llm-generatedllm:claude-haiku-4-5
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Variants
- alternatephrasing
- Covert Channels
- plural
- Covert ChannelsCovert Channelses
- possessive
- Covert Channel'sCovert Channels's
- pluralpossessive
- Covert Channels'Covert Channelses'