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secret key

nounverified·updated May 9, 2026

A cryptographic key that is used with a secret-key (symmetric) cryptographic algorithm that is uniquely associated with one or more entities and is not made public. The use of the term “secret” in this context does not imply a classification level, but rather implies the need to protect the key from disclosure.

polysemousMWENISTIR 7298: Glossary of Key Information Security Terms, Revision 2

Senses

National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (NICCS) Cybersecurity Lexiconextended definition available

A cryptographic key that is used for both encryption and decryption, enabling the operation of a symmetric key cryptography scheme.

NISTIR 7298: Glossary of Key Information Security Terms, Revision 2sense 2 pending review

A cryptographic key that must be protected from unauthorized disclosure to protect data encrypted with the key. The use of the term “secret” in this context does not imply a classification level; rather, the term implies the need to protect the key from disclosure or substitution.

NISTIR 7298: Glossary of Key Information Security Terms, Revision 2sense 3 pending review

A cryptographic key that is uniquely associated with one or more entities. The use of the term “secret” in this context does not imply a classification level, but rather implies the need to protect the key from disclosure or substitution.

NISTIR 7298: Glossary of Key Information Security Terms, Revision 2sense 4 pending review

A cryptographic key, used with a secret key cryptographic algorithm, that is uniquely associated with one or more entities and should not be made public.

CNSSI-4009 (Glossary of Information Assurance Terms)

A cryptographic key that is used with a symmetric cryptographic algorithm that is uniquely associated with one or more entities and is not made public. The use of the term “secret” in this context does not imply a classification level, but rather implies the need to protect the key from disclosure.

Classifications

Entity Type

Credential95%llm-generatedllm:claude-haiku-4-5
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Sensitivity

Restricted90%llm-generatedllm:claude-haiku-4-5
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Information Class

Cui75%llm-generatedllm:claude-haiku-4-5
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Variants

plural
secret keys
possessive
secret key's
pluralpossessive
secret keys'