Glossary · MWE Terms · C
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TermTypeDefinitionClassificationsUpdated
Crown WartnounMWEa fungous disease of alfalfa which forms white excrescences at the base of the stemverified
Crucible SteelnounMWEsteel made by the mixture of molten wrought iron, charcoal, and other substances in a crucibleverified
Cruel and Unusual PunishmentnounMWEpunishment prohibited by the 8th amendment to the U.S. Constitutionverified
Cruel PlantnounMWErobust twining shrub having racemes of fragrant white or pink flowers with flat spreading terminal petals that trap nocturnal moths and hold them until dawnverified
cry outverbMWEto utter loudly with a sense of urgency, often because one is in extreme distress candidate
Crybaby TreenounMWEsmall South American spiny tree with dark crimson and scarlet flowers solitary or clusteredverified
Crypto OfficernounMWEAn operator or process (subject), acting on behalf of the operator, performing cryptographic initialization or management functions.verified
Cryptographic AlarmnounMWECircuit or device that detects failures or aberrations in the logic or operation of crypto-equipment. Crypto-alarm may inhibit transmission or may provide a visible and/or audible alarm.verified
cryptographic algorithmnounMWEA well-defined computational procedure that takes variable inputs, including a cryptographic key, and produces an output.verified
Cryptographic Algorithm or HashnounMWEAn algorithm that employs the science of cryptography, including encryption algorithms, cryptographic hash algorithms, digital signature algorithms, and key agreement algorithms.verified
Cryptographic Ancillary EquipmentnounMWEEquipment designed specifically to facilitate efficient or reliable operation of cryptographic equipment, without performing cryptographic functions itself.verified
Cryptographic BindingnounMWEAssociating two or more related elements of information using cryptographic techniques.verified
Cryptographic BoundarynounMWEAn explicitly defined continuous perimeter that establishes the physical bounds of a cryptographic module and contains all the hardware, software, and/or firmware components of a cryptographic module.verified
Cryptographic ComponentnounMWEHardware or firmware embodiment of the cryptographic logic. A cryptographic component may be a modular assembly, a printed wiring assembly, a microcircuit, or a combination of these items.verified
Cryptographic Hash FunctionnounMWEA function that maps a bit string of arbitrary length to a fixed length bit string. Approved hash functions satisfy the following properties: 1) (One-way) It is computationally infeasible to find any input which maps to any pre-specified output, and 2) (Collision resistant) It is computationally infeasible to find any two distinct inputs that map to the same output.verified
Cryptographic Ignition KeynounMWEDevice or electronic key used to unlock the secure mode of crypto-equipment.verified
Cryptographic InitializationnounMWEFunction used to set the state of a cryptographic logic prior to key generation, encryption, or other operating mode.verified
Cryptographic KeynounMWEA parameter used in conjunction with a cryptographic algorithm that determines - the transformation of plaintext data into ciphertext data, - the transformation of ciphertext data into plaintext data, - a digital signature computed from data, - the verification of a digital signature computed from data, - an authentication code computed from data, or - an exchange agreement of a shared secret.verified
cryptographic key management activitynounMWEThis is a compositional phrase, not a standalone term of art. NIST's authoritative glossary defines *key management* itself as "the activities involving the handling of cryptographic keys and other related security parameters during the entire life cycle of the keys, including their generation, storage, establishment, entry and output, and destruction." "Cryptographic key management activity" simply names one instance or category of those activities—it is a noun-phrase built from the established terms "cryptographic key" and "key management," and carries no additional specialized meaning beyond what those component terms already convey. The broader field uses "key management" to cover the full lifecycle of keys in a cryptosystem, encompassing generation, exchange, storage, use, destruction, replacement, protocol design, key servers, and user procedures.verified
cryptographic key management informationnounMWEThis phrase is compositional rather than a term of art. It is a descriptive noun phrase combining "cryptographic key management" (the discipline governing the lifecycle of cryptographic keys) with "information" (the data involved in or produced by that discipline). NIST SP 800-57 Part 1 frames this domain as covering cryptographic keying material together with "other cryptographic information" requiring protection, and the functions and issues involved in managing it — but the combined phrase "cryptographic key management information" is not defined as a standalone entry. NIST's CSRC describes the scope of its Cryptographic Key Management Systems publications as addressing "the policies, procedures, components and devices that are used to protect, manage and establish keys and associated information (metadata)" — using "associated information" or "metadata" rather than coining the longer phrase as a term. No authoritative source (NIST, ISO, AICPA, CIS, or a regulator) treats it as a defined vocabulary item with a fixed, bounded meaning.verified
Cryptographic LogicnounMWEThe embodiment of one (or more) cryptographic algorithm(s) along with alarms, checks, and other processes essential to effective and secure performance of the cryptographic process(es).verified
Cryptographic ModulenounMWEThe set of hardware, software, firmware, or some combination thereof that implements cryptographic logic or processes, including cryptographic algorithms, and is contained within the cryptographic boundary of the module.verified
Cryptographic Module Security PolicynounMWEA precise specification of the security rules under which a cryptographic module will operate, including the rules derived from the requirements of this standard (FIPS 140-2) and additional rules imposed by the vendor.verified
Cryptographic Module Validation ProgramnounMWEValidates cryptographic modules to Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2 and other cryptography-based standards. The CMVP is a joint effort between National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) of the government of Canada. Products validated as conforming to FIPS 140-2 are accepted by the federal agencies of both countries for the protection of sensitive information (United States) or Designated Information (Canada). The goal of the CMVP is to promote the use of validated cryptographic modules and provide federal agencies with a security metric to use in procuring equipment containing validated cryptographic modules.verified
Cryptographic ProductnounMWEA cryptographic key (public, private, or shared) or public key certificate, used for encryption, decryption, digital signature, or signature verification; and other items, such as compromised key lists (CKL) and certificate revocation lists (CRL), obtained by trusted means from the same source which validate the authenticity of keys or certificates. Protected software which generates or regenerates keys or certificates may also be considered a cryptographic product.verified
Cryptographic RandomizationnounMWEFunction that randomly determines the transmit state of a cryptographic logic.verified
Cryptographic SecuritynounMWEComponent of COMSEC resulting from the provision of technically sound cryptographic systems and their proper use.verified
Cryptographic StrengthnounMWEA measure of the expected number of operations required to defeat a cryptographic mechanism.verified
Cryptographic SynchronizationnounMWEProcess by which a receiving decrypting cryptographic logic attains the same internal state as the transmitting encrypting logic.verified
Cryptographic SystemnounMWEAssociated information assurance items interacting to provide a single means of encryption or decryption.verified
Cryptographic System AnalysisnounMWEProcess of establishing the exploitability of a cryptographic system, normally by reviewing transmitted traffic protected or secured by the system under study.verified
Cryptographic System EvaluationnounMWEProcess of determining vulnerabilities of a cryptographic system and recommending countermeasures.verified
Cryptographic System ReviewnounMWEExamination of a cryptographic system by the controlling authority ensuring its adequacy of design and content, continued need, and proper distribution.verified
Cryptographic System SurveynounMWEManagement technique in which actual holders of a cryptographic system express opinions on the system's suitability and provide usage information for technical evaluations.verified
Cryptographic TokennounMWEA portable, user-controlled physical device (e.g., smart card or PCMCIA card) used to store cryptographic information and possibly also perform cryptographic functions.verified
Crystal DetectornounMWEa detector consisting of a fine wire in contact with a galena crystalverified
Crystal GazingnounMWEstaring into a crystal ball to arouse visions of future or distant eventsverified
Crystal LatticenounMWEa 3-dimensional geometric arrangement of the atoms or molecules or ions composing a crystalverified
Crystal MicrophonenounMWEa microphone in which sound waves vibrate a piezoelectric crystal that generates a varying voltageverified
Crystal OscillatornounMWEan oscillator that produces electrical oscillations at a frequency determined by the physical characteristics of a piezoelectric quartz crystalverified
Crystal PickupnounMWEa cartridge in which an output voltage is produced by the vibration of a piezoelectric crystalverified
Crystal TeanounMWEevergreen shrub of eastern North America having white or creamy bell-shaped flowers and dark green hairy leaves used for tea during American Revolutionverified
Crystal VioletnounMWEa green crystal (violet in water) used as a dye or stain or bactericide or fungicide or anthelmintic or burn treatmentverified
Cubic DecimeternounMWEa metric unit of capacity, formerly defined as the volume of one kilogram of pure water under standard conditionsverified
Cubic DecimetrenounMWEa metric unit of capacity, formerly defined as the volume of one kilogram of pure water under standard conditionsverified
Cubic KilometernounMWEa unit of capacity equal to the volume of a cube one kilometer on each edgeverified
Cubic KilometrenounMWEa unit of capacity equal to the volume of a cube one kilometer on each edgeverified