Glossary · MWE Terms · S
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TermTypeDefinitionClassificationsUpdated
Switched virtual circuit (SVC)nounMWESVC is a temporary connection between workstations that is disabled after communication is complete. Refer to Permanent Virtual Circuit (PVC) for an additional communication method using circuits.verified
Sword BeannounMWEtwining tropical Old World plant bearing long pods usually with red or brown beansverified
Sword DancenounMWEany of various dances by men who step nimbly over swords or flourish them in the airverified
Sword DancingnounMWEany of various dances by men who step nimbly over swords or flourish them in the airverified
Sword FernnounMWEany of several tropical ferns having more or less sword-shaped fronds including one from which the Boston fern developedverified
Sword GrassnounMWEany of various grasses or sedges having sword-shaped leaves with sharp edgesverified
Sword LilynounMWEany of numerous plants of the genus Gladiolus native chiefly to tropical and South Africa having sword-shaped leaves and one-sided spikes of brightly colored funnel-shaped flowersverified
Sycamore FignounMWEthick-branched wide-spreading tree of Africa and adjacent southwestern Asia often buttressed with branches rising from near the groundverified
Symbolic LogicnounMWEany logical system that abstracts the form of statements away from their content in order to establish abstract criteria of consistency and validityverified
Symbolic RepresentationnounMWEsomething visible that by association or convention represents something else that is invisibleverified
symmetric cryptographynounMWEA branch of cryptography in which a cryptographic system or algorithms use the same secret key (a shared secret key).verified
Symmetric Encryption AlgorithmnounMWEEncryption algorithms using the same secret key for encryption and decryption.verified
symmetric keynounMWEA cryptographic key that is used to perform both the cryptographic operation and its inverse, for example to encrypt and decrypt, or create a message authentication code and to verify the code.verified
Symmetric key encryptionnounMWESystem in which a different key (or set of keys) is used by each pair of trading partners to ensure that no one else can read their messages The same key is used for encryption and decryption. See also Private Key Cryptosystem.verified
SYN FloodnounMWEA denial of service attack that sends a host more TCP SYN packets (request to synchronize sequence numbers, used when opening a connection) than the protocol implementation can handle.verified
Synapsid ReptilenounMWEextinct reptile having a single pair of lateral temporal openings in the skullverified
Synchronic LinguisticsnounMWEthe study of a language without reference to its historical contextverified
Synchronous ConverternounMWEelectrical converter consisting of a synchronous machine that converts alternating to direct current or vice versaverified
Synchronous Crypto-OperationnounMWEEncryption algorithms using the same secret key for encryption and decryption.verified
Synchronous data replicationnounMWEA process for copying data from one source to another in which an acknowledgement of the receipt of data at the copy location is required for application processing to continue. Consequently, the content of databases stored in alternate facilities is identical to those at the original storage site, and copies of data contain current information at the time of a disruption in processing.verified
Synchronous MotornounMWEelectric motor in which the speed of rotation is proportional to the frequency of the A.C. powerverified
Synchronous Optical NETwork (SONET)nounMWESONET is a standard for telecommunications transmissions over fiber optic cables. SONET is self-healing so that if a break occurs in the lines, it can use a back-up redundant ring to ensure that the transmission continues. SONET networks can transmit voice and data over optical networks.verified
Synesthetic MetaphornounMWEa metaphor that exploits a similarity between experiences in different sense modalitiesverified
Synovial FluidnounMWEviscid lubricating fluid secreted by the membrane lining joints and tendon sheaths etc.verified
Syntactic CategorynounMWEin linguistics, a category of words having the same grammatical propertiesverified
Syntax ErrornounMWEan error of language resulting from code that does not conform to the syntax of the programming languageverified
Synthetic RubbernounMWEany of various synthetic elastic materials whose properties resemble natural rubberverified
system accessnounMWEThe ability of a user, process, or device to interact with an information system — whether to connect to it, log in, read data, execute transactions, or perform administrative functions. It is distinguished from related but narrower concepts (such as data access, network access, or physical access) by treating the *system* as the unit of control: authority documents enumerate subtypes such as physical access, logical/network access, and privileged/administrative access to define the full surface that must be governed. In practice, the field uses the expression as the object managed by access-control policies — something that is granted, restricted, monitored, audited, and revoked — and frameworks from NIST SP 800-171 through SOC 2 / AICPA Trust Services Criteria all treat governing "system access" as a primary control objective rather than a derived one.verified
system access authorizationnounMWEA set of formally approved permissions and privileges that specify which users, roles, or processes are permitted to interact with a given information system and in what capacity. In NIST SP 800-53 access control guidance, organizations are directed to "define system access authorizations to support separation of duties," framing these authorizations as the structured assignments of access rights that underpin separation-of-duties enforcement. The identification of authorized users and the specification of their access privileges may be defined by account, by account type, or both, and may incorporate additional attributes such as time-of-day or point-of-origin restrictions. In practice, the phrase is used across federal policy and compliance standards as the collective body of documented, approved access entitlements for a system — distinct from the technical mechanism that enforces them — and is subject to management activities such as provisioning, periodic review, and revocation.verified
system accountnounMWEA credentialed identity established on a system through which a user, process, or service is authorized to access system resources. The account carries the attributes that govern that access - its authorized users, its group and role membership, and its access privileges - and is managed across a lifecycle of creation, enablement, modification, disablement and removal. Account types are enumerated by the controlling framework rather than assumed: NIST SP 800-171r3 and SP 800-53 name individual, group, temporary, system, guest, anonymous, emergency, developer and service accounts, several of which an organization may prohibit outright because of the risk they carry. The phrase is a term of art and it is the umbrella term rather than one of the types: "system" appears in that list as a single account type, while a privileged account is defined as a system account holding the authorizations of a privileged user.verified
system account attributenounMWEA descriptive noun phrase, not a standalone defined term, referring to the set of properties or metadata fields that an organization formally assigns to any managed access account — regardless of account type (individual, shared, group, guest, emergency, service, etc.) — that collectively govern how that account may be used. Organizations may define access privileges or other attributes by account or type of account, with examples including restrictions on time of day, day of week, and point of origin. When defining these attributes, organizations consider both system-related requirements and mission/business requirements — such as scheduled maintenance windows or time-zone differences — making the attribute set the formal specification used to create, manage, and audit accounts under an identity governance program.verified
System AdministrationnounMWEThe process of maintaining, configuring, and operating computer systems.verified
System AdministratornounMWEIndividual responsible for the installation and maintenance of an information system, providing effective information system utilization, adequate security parameters, and sound implementation of established Information Assurance policy and procedures.verified
system and network monitoringnounMWESystem and Network Monitoring supports all activities related to the real-time monitoring of systems and networks for optimal performance. System and network monitoring describes the use of tools and observation to determine the performance and status of information systems and is closely tied to other Information and Technology Management sub-functions.verified
System AssetsnounMWEAny software, hardware, data, administrative, physical, communications, or personnel resource within an information system.verified
system behaviornounMWEThe observable and operational characteristics of a computing system — encompassing its processes, configurations, resource usage, and responses to inputs — that collectively define how it functions at runtime. In security and compliance contexts, it is used as a reference baseline: controls are designed to preserve expected system behavior (e.g., by restricting commands that could alter it) or to detect when behavior deviates from that baseline, which may indicate compromise, misconfiguration, or unauthorized privileged action. Authority documents treat nominal or "typical" system behavior as a well-defined pool from which execution profiles are drawn, against which anomalous activity is measured. Frameworks such as CIS Benchmarks use the phrase directly, noting that hardening configurations "can significantly alter system behavior," and post-compromise threat models describe attackers modifying kernel parameters or device interfaces to alter system behavior in ways that are difficult to distinguish from legitimate administration.verified
system boundariesnounMWEThe specific aspects of an entity's infrastructure, software, people, procedures, and data necessary to perform a function (such as producing, manufacturing, or distributing a product) or provide a service. When systems for multiple functions or services share aspects, infrastructure, software, people, procedures, and data, the systems will overlap, but the boundaries of each system will differ.verified
System CallnounMWEan instruction that interrupts the program being executed and passes control to the supervisorverified
System ClocknounMWEan electronic device in a computer that issues a steady high-frequency signal that synchronizes all the internal componentsverified
System CommandnounMWEa computer user's instruction (not part of a program) that calls for action by the computer's executive programverified
system componentnounMWEA discrete, identifiable information technology asset that represents a building block of a system and may include hardware, software, and firmware. [26]verified
system configurationnounMWEThe setting of various switches and jumpers for hardware and the defining of values of parameters for software.verified
system configuration settingnounMWEA modifiable parameter — residing in the hardware, software, or firmware of an information system — whose value affects the security posture, privacy posture, or operational behavior of that system. Configuration settings are "the parameters that can be changed in the hardware, software, or firmware components of the system that affect the security and privacy posture or functionality of the system," and the qualifier *system* situates that parameter at the level of the whole system rather than a sub-component or application in isolation. Covered products range from mainframe computers and servers to mobile devices and applications; concrete examples include registry settings, account and file permissions, and settings for protocols, ports, services, and remote connections. In practice, organizations establish and document these settings to reflect the most restrictive mode consistent with operational requirements, deriving system-specific values from organization-wide baselines that then become part of the system's configuration baseline.verified
System Development Life CyclenounMWEThe scope of activities associated with a system, encompassing the system’s initiation, development and acquisition, implementation, operation and maintenance, and ultimately its disposal that instigates another system initiation.verified
system development methodologynounMWEMethodologies developed through software engineering to manage the complexity of system development. Development methodologies include software engineering aids and high-level design analysis tools.verified
system documentationnounMWEDetailed information about a computer system its architecture, design, data flow, and programming logic.verified
System ErrornounMWEan instruction that is either not recognized by an operating system or is in violation of the procedural rulesverified
system eventnounMWEAn occurrence that could lead to the loss of, or disruption to, operations, services, or functions and could result in an entity's failure to achieve its system objectives. Such an occurrence may arise from actual or attempted unauthorized access or use by internal or external parties and ( a ) impair (or potentially impair) the availability, integrity, or confidentiality of information or systems; ( b ) result in unauthorized disclosure or theft of information or other assets or the destruction or corruption of data; or ( c ) cause damage to systems. Such occurrences also may arise from the failure of the system to process data as designed or from the loss, corruption, or destruction of data used by the system.verified
System hardeningnounMWEConfiguring all configurable items within an entire system to reduce the host’s security weaknesses.verified
System High ModenounMWEInformation systems security mode of operation wherein each user, with direct or indirect access to the information system, its peripherals, remote terminals, or remote hosts, has all of the following: a. valid security clearance for all information within an information system; b. formal access approval and signed nondisclosure agreements for all the information stored and/or processed (including all compartments, subcompartments and/or special access programs); and c. valid need-to-know for some of the information contained within the information system.verified
system implementationnounMWEThe process of putting a planned system into action; the stage of systems development in which hardware and software are acquired, developed and installed, the system is tested and documented, people are trained to operate and used the system, and an organization converts to the use of a newly developed system.verified
system incidentnounMWEA system event that requires action on the part of entity management to prevent or reduce the impact of the event on the entity's achievement of its system objectives.verified
System IndicatornounMWESymbol or group of symbols in an off-line encrypted message identifying the specific cryptosystem or key used in the encryption.verified
system integritynounMWEThe quality that a system has when it performs its intended function in an unimpaired manner, free from unauthorized manipulation of the system, whether intentional or accidental.verified
system integrity checknounMWEA periodic or on-demand security verification process that examines a computing system's files, configurations, software, and runtime state against a known-good trusted baseline to confirm that no unauthorized or undetected alterations have occurred. It detects unauthorized changes — such as those caused by malware, intrusions, or misconfiguration — by comparing current values against known-good reference values, usually cryptographic hashes. Mechanically, this typically involves hashing executables, scripts, libraries, and other critical artifacts and checking them against a stored baseline, so that replacement by a malicious file causes an immediate failure. In practice, it supports incident detection and forensic investigation and demonstrates compliance with frameworks such as PCI DSS, which explicitly requires file integrity monitoring on critical systems.verified
System InterconnectionnounMWEThe direct connection of two or more IT systems for the purpose of sharing data and other information resources.verified
system managementnounMWEThis phrase is compositional rather than a term of art. In the context of the quoted passage — listing duties such as assessments and programming alongside it — "system management" carries its plain administrative meaning: the routine operational oversight and administration of information systems, including configuration, maintenance, and operational control. In the IT field more broadly, systems management refers to enterprise-wide administration of distributed systems including computer systems. While NIST's CSRC glossary does define compound phrases built on "system management" — such as System Management Mode, a high-privilege processor operating mode used for low-level system management functions that is entered only after a System Management Interrupt, and System Management Tools (NISTIR 8219) — none of these is the sense the source document uses; the source passage uses the words in their ordinary, compositional combination as a category of administrative work.verified
system objectivesnounMWEThe entity's objectives, established by entity management, that are embodied in the product commitments it makes to customers, including producing or manufacturing a product that meets product performance specifications and other production, manufacturing, or distribution specifications. The system objectives also include the requirements established for the functioning of the system to meet production, manufacturing, or distribution commitments.verified
System of MacrophagesnounMWEa widely distributed system of free and fixed macrophages derived from bone marrowverified
System of MeasurementnounMWEa system of related measures that facilitates the quantification of some particular characteristicverified