Glossary · MWE Terms · S
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TermTypeDefinitionClassificationsUpdated
Signal TowernounMWEa building from which signals are sent to control the movements of railway trainsverified
Signals AnalysisnounMWEGaining indirect knowledge of communicated data by monitoring and analyzing a signal that is emitted by a system and that contains the data but is not intended to communicate the data.verified
Signals IntelligencenounMWEintelligence information gathered from communications intelligence or electronics intelligence or telemetry intelligenceverified
Signature CertificatenounMWEA public key certificate that contains a public key intended for verifying digital signatures rather than encrypting data or performing any other cryptographic functions.verified
Signature GenerationnounMWEThe process of using a digital signature algorithm and a private key to generate a digital signature on data.verified
Signature RecognitionnounMWEbiometric identification by automatically scanning a person's signature and matching it electronically against a library of known signaturesverified
Signature TunenounMWEa melody used to identify a performer or a dance band or radio/tv programverified
Signature ValidationnounMWEThe (mathematical) verification of the digital signature and obtaining the appropriate assurances (e.g., public key validity, private key possession, etc.).verified
Signature VerificationnounMWEThe process of using a digital signature algorithm and a public key to verify a digital signature on data.verified
Significant firmsnounMWEFirms that process a significant share of transactions in critical financial markets.verified
Significant OthernounMWEa person with whom you cohabit and share a long-term sexual relationship, but not necessarily a spouseverified
significant risknounMWEA classification or threshold judgment applied during risk assessment that identifies a risk whose combination of likelihood and potential impact — including harm to individuals (financial, reputational, physical, or rights-related), to organizational operations, or to both — is severe enough to compel a mandatory response: escalated controls, a formal impact assessment, breach notification, or cessation of the activity. Risk is commonly calculated as a function of likelihood and impact, and in privacy and security contexts a primary consideration is harm to individuals, not just organizational impact. Under HIPAA/HITECH, for example, the concept is operationalized as a breach that "poses a significant risk of financial, reputational, or other harm to the individual," making the threshold determination a prerequisite for breach-notification obligations. In U.S. state privacy law, the parallel trigger is "significant risk to consumers' privacy," which requires a formal risk assessment before the activity may begin. Across frameworks the expression functions as a gate: risks below the threshold may be accepted or mitigated in the ordinary course, while risks that meet or exceed it trcandidate
significant security risknounMWEA risk-level characterization applied in security, privacy, and compliance contexts to a threat source, vulnerability, configuration, or actor whose assessed likelihood and potential impact together exceed an organization's or regulator's stated risk tolerance threshold — placing it in a priority tier that mandates active mitigation, escalation, or control action rather than acceptance or deferral. The concept underpins risk prioritization: quantifying or qualifying which risks must be addressed first, ensuring resources focus on the most consequential exposures. Frameworks including NIST RMF, FISMA, and CISA operational directives use the phrase descriptively — for example, CISA's Binding Operational Directive BOD 22-01 is titled "Reducing the Significant Risk of Known Exploited Vulnerabilities," treating it as a threshold marker, not a defined term — and the same pattern appears across HIPAA, ISO 27001, and CIS guidance, where "significant" functions as a calibrated severity qualifier aligned to each framework's impact and likelihood scales.verified
Sildenafil CitratenounMWEvirility drug (trade name Viagra) used to treat erectile dysfunction in menverified
Silent PartnernounMWEa partner (who usually provides capital) whose association with the enterprise is not public knowledgeverified
Silicon CarbidenounMWEan extremely hard blue-black crystalline compound (SiC) used as an abrasive and a heat refractory materialverified
Silicon ChipnounMWEelectronic equipment consisting of a small crystal of a silicon semiconductor fabricated to carry out a number of electronic functions in an integrated circuitverified
Silicon ValleynounMWEa region in California to the south of San Francisco that is noted for its concentration of high-technology industriesverified
Silicone PolymernounMWEany of a large class of siloxanes that are unusually stable over a wide range of temperaturesverified
Silk OaknounMWEany of several Australian timber trees having usually fernlike foliage and mottled wood used in cabinetry and veneeringverified
Silk Screen PrintnounMWEa print made using a stencil process in which an image or design is superimposed on a very fine mesh screen and printing ink is squeegeed onto the printing surface through the area of the screen that is not covered by the stencilverified
Silk TreenounMWEattractive domed or flat-topped Asiatic tree having bipinnate leaves and flowers with long silky stamensverified
Silk VinenounMWEdeciduous climber for arches and fences having ill-scented but interesting flowers and poisonous yellow fruitsverified
Silk WoodnounMWEa fast-growing tropical American evergreen having white flowers and white fleshy edible fruitverified
Silk-Cotton TreenounMWEmassive tropical tree with deep ridges on its massive trunk and bearing large pods of seeds covered with silky flossverified
Silkworm MothnounMWEmoderate-sized Asiatic moth whose larvae feed on mulberry leaves and produce silkverified
Silky AnteaternounMWEsquirrel-sized South American toothless anteater with long silky golden furverified
Silky OaknounMWEmedium to tall fast-growing tree with orange flowers and feathery bipinnate leaves silky-hairy beneathverified
Silky Pocket MousenounMWEsmall pale yellowish soft-furred rodent of southwestern United States and Mexicoverified
Silky WillownounMWENorth American willow with greyish silky pubescent leaves that usually blacken in dryingverified
Silly SeasonnounMWEa time usually late summer characterized by exaggerated news stories about frivolous matters for want of real newsverified
Silurid FishnounMWEOld World freshwater catfishes having naked skin and a long anal fin more or less merged with the eellike caudal finverified
Siluriform FishnounMWEany of numerous mostly freshwater bottom-living fishes of Eurasia and North America with barbels like whiskers around the mouthverified
Silver AgenounMWE(classical mythology) the second age of the world, characterized by opulence and irreligionverified
Silver BellnounMWEany of various deciduous trees of the genus Halesia having white bell-shaped flowersverified
Silver BirchnounMWEEuropean birch with silvery white peeling bark and markedly drooping branchesverified
Silver CertificatenounMWEformerly a bank note issued by the United States Treasury and redeemable in silververified
Silver DollarnounMWEsoutheastern European plant cultivated for its fragrant purplish flowers and round flat papery silver-white seedpods that are used for indoor decorationverified
Silver IodidenounMWEan iodide that is used in photography, in seeding clouds to make rain, and in medicineverified
Silver LimenounMWElarge tree native to eastern Europe and Asia Minor having leaves with white tomentum on the under sideverified
Silver LindennounMWElarge tree native to eastern Europe and Asia Minor having leaves with white tomentum on the under sideverified
Silver MedalnounMWEa trophy made of silver (or having the appearance of silver) that is usually awarded for winning second place in a competitionverified
Silver OaknounMWEsmall slender tree with usually entire grey-green pendulous leaves and white or cream-colored flowersverified