home/glossary/Nouns · A

Glossary · Nouns · A

L1 — paginated flat list. Pick a POS, pick a letter.

TermTypeDefinitionClassificationsUpdated
Authority FigurenounMWEsomeone who is regarded as an authority by someone elseverifiedMay 18, 2026
authorizationnounAccess privileges granted to a user, program, or process or the act of granting those privileges.ControlMay 9, 2026
Authorization (ACH)nounMWEA written or oral agreement between the originator and a receiver that allows payments processed through the ACH network to be deposited in, or withdrawn from, the receiver's account at a financial institution.RequirementRegulatedPCIMay 9, 2026
Authorization BoundarynounMWEAll components of an information system to be authorized for operation by an authorizing official and excludes separately authorized systems, to which the information system is connected.RequirementRegulatedMay 9, 2026
authorization recordnounMWEA document or identifier which provides evidence of authorization.ArtifactRegulatedCUIMay 9, 2026
Authorization to operatenounMWEThe official management decision given by a senior organizational official to authorize operation of an information system and to explicitly accept the risk to organizational operations (including mission, functions, image, or reputation), organizational assets, individuals, other organizations, and the Nation based on the implementation of an agreed-upon set of security controls.ArtifactRegulatedCUIMay 9, 2026
authorized accessnounMWEAccess to system components that (a) has been approved by a person designated to do so by management and (b) does not compromise segregation of duties, confidentiality commitments, or otherwise increase risk to the system beyond the levels approved by management (that is, access is appropriate).ControlRegulatedMay 9, 2026
authorized devicenounMWEA computer device that the organization has authorized to be used and connected to the system.PhysicalMay 12, 2026
authorized personnounMWEThis role is focused on a person who has been given permission to do something by an authority. Any individual who has been granted permission to do something on behalf of their organization should be assigned to this role.RoleMay 12, 2026
authorized personnelnounMWEThis role is focused on employees who are granted access to the organizations assets, information, and/or certain areas, or permitted to conduct certain work. Any individual who is sanctioned by management should be assigned to this role.RoleMay 9, 2026
Authorized SharesnounMWEthe maximum number of shares authorized under the terms of a corporation's articles of incorporationverifiedMay 18, 2026
Authorized StocknounMWEthe maximum number of shares authorized under the terms of a corporation's articles of incorporationverifiedMay 18, 2026
authorized usernounMWEA person who has the authority or permission to manage access or make changes to an account.IdentityMay 9, 2026
Authorized VendornounMWEManufacturer of information assurance equipment authorized to produce quantities in excess of contractual requirements for direct sale to eligible buyers. Eligible buyers are typically U.S. government organizations or U.S. government contractors.OrganizationRegulatedMay 12, 2026
Authorized Vendor ProgramnounMWEProgram in which a vendor, producing an information systems security (INFOSEC) product under contract to NSA, is authorized to produce that product in numbers exceeding the contracted requirements for direct marketing and sale to eligible buyers. Eligible buyers are typically U.S. government organizations or U.S. government contractors. Products approved for marketing and sale through the AVP are placed on the Endorsed Cryptographic Products List (ECPL).ProcessRegulatedMay 9, 2026
Authorizernounan authority who authorizes (people or actions)verifiedMay 18, 2026
Authorizing OfficialnounMWEA senior (federal) official or executive with the authority to formally assume responsibility for operating an information system at an acceptable level of risk to organizational operations (including mission, functions, image, or reputation), organizational assets, individuals, other organizations, and the Nation.RoleMay 9, 2026
Authorizing Official Designated RepresentativenounMWEAn organizational official acting on behalf of an authorizing official in carrying out and coordinating the required activities associated with security authorization.RoleRegulatedMay 12, 2026
Authorshipnounthe act of initiating a new idea or theory or writingverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autismnoun(psychiatry) an abnormal absorption with the selfverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autonouna motor vehicle with four wheelsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Auto AccessorynounMWEan accessory for an automobileverifiedMay 18, 2026
Auto FactorynounMWEa factory where automobiles are manufacturedverifiedMay 18, 2026
Auto LimitationnounMWEsocial control achieved as a manifestation of self-will or general consentverifiedMay 18, 2026
Auto LoannounMWEa personal loan to purchase an automobileverifiedMay 18, 2026
Auto MakernounMWEa business engaged in the manufacture of automobilesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Auto ManufacturernounMWEa business engaged in the manufacture of automobilesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Auto MechanicsnounMWEthe craft of building and repairing automobilesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Auto PartnounMWEa component of an automobileverifiedMay 18, 2026
Auto RacenounMWEa race between (usually high-performance) automobilesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Auto RacingnounMWEthe sport of racing automobilesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Auto TirenounMWEa tire consisting of a rubber ring around the rim of an automobile wheelverifiedMay 18, 2026
Auto-Changernounan automatic mechanical device on a record player that causes new records to be played without manual interventionverifiedMay 18, 2026
Auto-Da-Fenounthe burning to death of heretics (as during the Spanish Inquisition)verifiedMay 18, 2026
Autoantibodynounan antibody acting against tissues of the organism that produces itverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autobahnnounan expressway in a German-speaking countryverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autobiographernounsomeone who writes their own biographyverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autobiographynouna biography of yourselfverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autobusnouna vehicle carrying many passengersverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autocatalysisnouncatalysis in which the catalyst is one of the products of the reactionverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autochthonnounthe earliest known inhabitants of a regionverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autochthonynounnativeness by virtue of originating or occurring naturally (as in a particular place)verifiedMay 18, 2026
Autocoidnounany physiologically active internal secretion especially one of uncertain classificationverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autocracynouna political theory favoring unlimited authority by a single individualverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autocratnouna cruel and oppressive dictatorverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autocuenouna device that displays words for people to readverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autodidactnouna person who has taught himselfverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autoeroticismnounusing you own body as a sexual objectverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autoerotismnounusing you own body as a sexual objectverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autofluorescencenounself-induced fluorescenceverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autofocusnounan optical device for focussing a camera or other instrument automaticallyverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autogamynounself-fertilization in plantsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autogenesisnouna hypothetical organic phenomenon by which living organisms are created from nonliving matterverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autogenic TherapynounMWEtraining patients in self-induced relaxationverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autogenic TrainingnounMWEtraining patients in self-induced relaxationverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autogenicsnountraining patients in self-induced relaxationverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autogenynouna hypothetical organic phenomenon by which living organisms are created from nonliving matterverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autogironounan aircraft that is supported in flight by unpowered rotating horizontal wings (or blades)verifiedMay 18, 2026
Autograftnountissue that is taken from one site and grafted to another site on the same personverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autograph AlbumnounMWEan album for autographsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autogyronounan aircraft that is supported in flight by unpowered rotating horizontal wings (or blades)verifiedMay 18, 2026
Autoimmune DiabetesnounMWEsevere diabetes mellitus with an early onsetverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autoimmune DiseasenounMWEany of a large group of diseases characterized by abnormal functioning of the immune system that causes your immune system to produce antibodies against your own tissuesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autoimmune DisordernounMWEany of a large group of diseases characterized by abnormal functioning of the immune system that causes your immune system to produce antibodies against your own tissuesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autoimmunitynounproduction of antibodies against the tissues of your own bodyverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autoinjectornouna hypodermic syringe to use in injecting yourself with a liquidverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autolatrynounthe worship of yourselfverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autoloadernouna firearm that reloads itselfverifiedMay 18, 2026
Autolysisnounlysis of plant or animal tissue by an internal processverifiedMay 18, 2026
Automatnouna cafeteria where food is served from machinesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Automated Clearing House (ACH)nounMWEAn electronic clearing system in which a data processing center handles payment orders that are exchanged among financial institutions, primarily via telecommunications networks. ACH systems process large volumes of individual payments electronically. Typical ACH payments include salaries, consumer and corporate bill payments, interest and dividend payments, and Social Security payments.SystemRegulatedPCIMay 9, 2026
Automated Clearing House (ACH) OperatornounMWEA central clearing facility that depository financial institutions use to transmit and receive ACH entries. ACH operators are typically a Federal Reserve Bank or a private-sector organization that operates on behalf of a depository financial institution.RoleMay 9, 2026
automated clearing house activitynounMWEAny transaction made through the Automated Clearing House network.EventRegulatedPCIMay 9, 2026
automated clearing house capturenounMWEA service that allows a user to transmit automated clearing house data to a bank for posting and clearing.CapabilityRegulatedPCIMay 9, 2026
Automated ControlsnounMWESoftware routines designed into programs to ensure the validity, accuracy, completeness, and availability of input, processed, and stored data.ControlRegulatedMay 12, 2026
Automated Key TransportnounMWEThe transport of cryptographic keys, usually in encrypted form, using electronic means such as a computer network (e.g., key transport/agreement protocols).ProcessRegulatedMay 12, 2026
Automated Password GeneratornounMWEAn algorithm which creates random passwords that have no association with a particular user.CredentialMay 9, 2026
Automated Security MonitoringnounMWEUse of automated procedures to ensure security controls are not circumvented or the use of these tools to track actions taken by subjects suspected of misusing the information system.CapabilityMay 9, 2026
Automated TellernounMWEan unattended machine that dispenses money when a personal coded card is usedverifiedMay 18, 2026
Automated Teller MachinenounMWEan unattended machine that dispenses money when a personal coded card is usedverifiedMay 18, 2026
Automated Teller Machine (ATM)nounMWEAn electronic funds transfer (EFT) terminal that allows customers using a PIN-based debit (ATM) card to initiate transactions (e.g., deposits, withdrawals, account balance inquiries).PhysicalRegulatedPCIMay 9, 2026
Automatic ChokenounMWEa choke that automatically controls the flow of air to the carburetorverifiedMay 18, 2026
Automatic Data ProcessingnounMWEAny operation or set of operations performed on personal data, whether or not by automated meansverifiedMay 18, 2026
Automatic Data Processing SystemnounMWEAny operation or set of operations performed on personal data, whether or not by automated meansverifiedMay 18, 2026
Automatic DrivenounMWEa transmission that automatically changes the gears according to the speed of the carverifiedMay 18, 2026
Automatic Face RecognitionnounMWEbiometric identification by scanning a person's face and matching it against a library of known facesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Automatic FirearmnounMWEa firearm that reloads itself and keeps firing until the trigger is releasedverifiedMay 18, 2026
Automatic GunnounMWEa firearm that reloads itself and keeps firing until the trigger is releasedverifiedMay 18, 2026
Automatic PilotnounMWEa navigational device that automatically keeps ships or planes or spacecraft on a steady courseverifiedMay 18, 2026
Automatic PistolnounMWEa pistol that will keep firing until the ammunition is gone or the trigger is releasedverifiedMay 18, 2026
Automatic Remote RekeyingnounMWEProcedure to rekey a distant crypto-equipment electronically without specific actions by the receiving terminal operator. See Manual Remote Rekeying.ProcessRegulatedCUIMay 9, 2026
Automatic RiflenounMWElight machine gunverifiedMay 18, 2026
Automatic TellernounMWEan unattended machine (outside some banks) that dispenses money when a personal coded card is usedverifiedMay 18, 2026
Automatic Teller MachinenounMWEan unattended machine (outside some banks) that dispenses money when a personal coded card is usedverifiedMay 18, 2026
Automatic TransmissionnounMWEa transmission that automatically changes the gears according to the speed of the carverifiedMay 18, 2026
Automatic WashernounMWEa home appliance for washing clothes and linens automaticallyverifiedMay 18, 2026
Automatic WeaponnounMWEa firearm that reloads itself and keeps firing until the trigger is releasedverifiedMay 18, 2026
AutomationnounThe system functions with no/little human operator involvement; however, the system performance is limited to the specific actions it has been designed to do. Typically these are well-defined tasks that have predetermined responses (i.e., simple rule-based responses).CapabilityMay 18, 2026
Automation BiasnounMWEover-relying on the outputs of AI systemsVulnerabilityMay 18, 2026
Automatismnounany reaction that occurs automatically without conscious thought or reflection (especially the undirected behavior seen in psychomotor epilepsy)verifiedMay 18, 2026