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Glossary · Nouns · K

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TermTypeDefinitionClassificationsUpdated
Ketonurianounexcessive amounts of ketone bodies in the urine as in diabetes mellitus or starvationverifiedMay 18, 2026
Ketosenounany monosaccharide sugar that contains a ketone group or its hemiacetalverifiedMay 18, 2026
Ketosisnounan abnormal increase of ketone bodies in the blood, as in diabetes mellitusverifiedMay 18, 2026
Ketosis-Prone DiabetesnounMWEa severe diabetes mellitus with an early onsetverifiedMay 18, 2026
Ketosis-Resistant DiabetesnounMWEa mild form of diabetes mellitus that develops gradually in adultsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Ketosis-Resistant Diabetes MellitusnounMWEa mild form of diabetes mellitus that develops gradually in adultsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Kettlenouna large hemispherical brass or copper percussion instrument with a drumhead that can be tuned by adjusting the tension on itverifiedMay 18, 2026
Kettle HolenounMWEin geology, a hollow -- typically filled by a lake -- that results from the melting of a mass of ice trapped in glacial depositsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Kettle of FishnounMWEa difficult situationverifiedMay 18, 2026
Kettledrumnouna large hemispherical brass or copper percussion instrument with a drumhead that can be tuned by adjusting the tension on itverifiedMay 18, 2026
Kettlefulnounthe quantity a kettle will holdverifiedMay 18, 2026
Keurboomnouna tree with odd-pinnate leaves and racemes of fragrant pink to purple flowersverifiedMay 18, 2026
keynounA parameter used in conjunction with a cryptographic algorithm that determines its operation. Examples applicable to this Standard include: 1. The computation of a digital signature from data, and 2. The verification of a digital signature.CredentialMay 12, 2026
Key BundlenounMWEThe three cryptographic keys (Key1, Key2, Key3) that are used with a Triple Data Encryption Algorithm (TDEA) mode.CredentialRestrictedMay 9, 2026
key controlnounMWEA type of internal control designed to detect errors or fraud in financial statements.ControlRegulatedMay 12, 2026
Key Distribution CenternounMWECOMSEC facility generating and distributing key in electronic form.SystemRegulatedCUIMay 9, 2026
Key EscrownounMWE1. The processes of managing (e.g., generating, storing, transferring, auditing) the two components of a cryptographic key by two key component holders. 2. A key recovery technique for storing knowledge of a cryptographic key, or parts thereof, in the custody of one or more third parties called "escrow agents," so that the key can be recovered and used in specified circumstances.ProcessRegulatedCUIMay 9, 2026
Key Escrow SystemnounMWEA system that entrusts the two components comprising a cryptographic key (e.g., a device unique key) to two key component holders (also called "escrow agents").SystemRegulatedCUIMay 9, 2026
Key EstablishmentnounMWEThe process by which cryptographic keys are securely established among cryptographic modules using manual transport methods (e.g., key loaders), automated methods (e.g., key transport and/or key agreement protocols), or a combination of automated and manual methods (consists of key transport plus key agreement).ProcessRestrictedCUIMay 9, 2026
Key ExchangenounMWEProcess of exchanging public keys (and other information) in order to establish secure communications.ProcessMay 9, 2026
Key ExpansionnounMWERoutine used to generate a series of Round Keys from the Cipher Key.ProcessRegulatedMay 12, 2026
Key fobnounMWEA small portable device equipped with chip technology allowing the holder the ability to access network systems, such as those used for payments, and to store personal data.PhysicalRegulatedPIIMay 9, 2026
Key FruitnounMWEa winged often one-seed indehiscent fruit as of the ash or elm or mapleverifiedMay 18, 2026
Key Generation MaterialnounMWERandom numbers, pseudo-random numbers, and cryptographic parameters used in generating cryptographic keys.DataRegulatedCUIMay 9, 2026
Key lengthnounMWEThe size of the encryption key measured in bitsMetricMay 9, 2026
Key LimenounMWEsmall yellow-green limes of southern FloridaverifiedMay 18, 2026
Key ListnounMWEPrinted series of key settings for a specific cryptonet. Key lists may be produced in list, pad, or printed tape format.ArtifactRegulatedCUIMay 9, 2026
Key LoadernounMWEA self-contained unit that is capable of storing at least one plaintext or encrypted cryptographic key or a component of a key that can be transferred, upon request, into a cryptographic module.PhysicalRegulatedCUIMay 9, 2026
Key LoggernounMWEA program designed to record which keys are pressed on a computer keyboard used to obtain passwords or encryption keys and thus bypass other security measures.ThreatMay 9, 2026
Key ManagementnounMWEThe activities involving the handling of cryptographic keys and other related security parameters (e.g., IVs and passwords) during the entire life cycle of the keys, including their generation, storage, establishment, entry and output, and zeroization.ProcessRegulatedCUIMay 9, 2026
Key Management DevicenounMWEA unit that provides for secure electronic distribution of encryption keys to authorized users.PhysicalRestrictedMay 12, 2026
Key Management InfrastructurenounMWEAll parts – computer hardware, firmware, software, and other equipment and its documentation; facilities that house the equipment and related functions; and companion standards, policies, procedures, and doctrine that form the system that manages and supports the ordering and delivery of cryptographic material and related information products and services to users.SystemRegulatedCUIMay 9, 2026
key pairnounMWETwo mathematically related keys having the properties that (1) one key can be used to encrypt a message that can only be decrypted using the other key, and 2) even knowing one key, it is computationally infeasible to discover the other key.CredentialRestrictedMay 9, 2026
Key PalmnounMWEa small stocky fan palm of southern Florida and CubaverifiedMay 18, 2026
Key PatternnounMWEan ornamental pattern consisting of repeated vertical and horizontal lines, often in reliefverifiedMay 18, 2026
Key Production KeynounMWEKey used to initialize a keystream generator for the production of other electronically generated key.CredentialRestrictedCUIMay 9, 2026
Key RecoverynounMWEMechanisms and processes that allow authorized parties to retrieve the cryptographic key used for data confidentiality.ProcessRestrictedCUIMay 12, 2026
key resourcenounMWEA publicly or privately controlled asset necessary to sustain continuity of government and/or economic operations, or an asset that is of great historical significance.PhysicalRegulatedMay 9, 2026
Key RingnounMWEa circular ring of metal designed to hold keysverifiedMay 18, 2026
Key risk indicatornounMWEA subset of risk indicators that are highly relevant and possess a high probability of predicting or indicating important risk Scope Note: See also Risk Indicator.MetricMay 9, 2026
Key SignaturenounMWEthe sharps or flats that follow the clef and indicate the keyverifiedMay 18, 2026
Key StreamnounMWESequence of symbols (or their electrical or mechanical equivalents) produced in a machine or auto-manual cryptosystem to combine with plain text to produce cipher text, control transmission security processes, or produce key.DataRestrictedCUIMay 9, 2026
Key TagnounMWEIdentification information associated with certain types of electronic key.ArtifactRegulatedCUIMay 12, 2026
Key TapenounMWEPunched or magnetic tape containing key. Printed key in tape form is referred to as a key list.PhysicalRegulatedCUIMay 9, 2026
Key TransportnounMWEThe secure transport of cryptographic keys from one cryptographic module to another module.ProcessRegulatedMay 9, 2026
Key UpdatingnounMWEIrreversible cryptographic process for modifying key.ProcessRegulatedCUIMay 12, 2026
Key WordnounMWEa word that is used as a pattern to decode an encrypted messageverifiedMay 18, 2026
Key WrapnounMWEA method of encrypting keying material (along with associated integrity information) that provides both confidentiality and integrity protection using a symmetric key algorithm.ControlRestrictedMay 12, 2026
Key-Auto-KeynounCryptographic logic using previous key to produce key.ControlRegulatedCUIMay 12, 2026
Key-Encryption-KeynounKey that encrypts or decrypts other key for transmission or storage.CredentialRestrictedMay 9, 2026
Keyboardnouna device consisting of a set of keys on a piano, organ, typewriter, typesetting machine, computer or the likeverifiedMay 18, 2026
Keyboard BuffernounMWEa buffer that keeps track of key strokes until the computer is ready to respond to themverifiedMay 18, 2026
Keyboardistnouna musician who plays a keyboard instrumentverifiedMay 18, 2026
Keycardnouna plastic card that has a magnetically coded strip that is scanned in order to operate a mechanismverifiedMay 18, 2026
Keyed-hash based message authentication codenounMWEA message authentication code that uses a cryptographic key in conjunction with a hash function.ControlRegulatedMay 12, 2026
Keyholenounthe hole where a key is insertedverifiedMay 18, 2026
Keyhole LimpetnounMWEa marine limpet having a conical shell with an opening at the apexverifiedMay 18, 2026
Keyhole SawnounMWEa handsaw with a long narrow blade for cutting short radius curvesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Keying MaterialnounMWEKey, code, or authentication information in physical, electronic, or magnetic form.CredentialRestrictedCUIMay 12, 2026
Keynote SpeechnounMWEa speech setting forth the keynoteverifiedMay 18, 2026
Keypadnouna keyboard that is a data input device for computersverifiedMay 18, 2026
Keystonenounthe central building block at the top of an arch or vaultverifiedMay 18, 2026
Keystrokenouna single tap of a key on a keyboardverifiedMay 18, 2026
Keystroke MonitoringnounMWEThe process used to view or record both the keystrokes entered by a computer user and the computer’s response during an interactive session. Keystroke monitoring is usually considered a special case of audit trails.ProcessRegulatedCUIMay 12, 2026
Keytarnouna modern instrument featuring the neck of a guitar and an electronic keyboard; played by supporting with a shoulder strap. The neck has various controls- for instance vibrato, sustain and pitch bend- that affect the quality of the notes played on the keyboardverifiedMay 18, 2026
Kgnounone thousand gramsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Khaddarnouna coarse homespun cotton cloth made in IndiaverifiedMay 18, 2026
Khadinouna coarse homespun cotton cloth made in IndiaverifiedMay 18, 2026
Khalifnounthe civil and religious leader of a Muslim state considered to be a representative of Allah on earthverifiedMay 18, 2026
Khalifahnounthe civil and religious leader of a Muslim state considered to be a representative of Allah on earthverifiedMay 18, 2026
Khamsinnounan oppressively hot southerly wind from the Sahara that blows across Egypt in the springverifiedMay 18, 2026
Khannounan inn in some eastern countries with a large courtyard that provides accommodation for caravansverifiedMay 18, 2026
Khanatenouna Turko-Mongol word used to describe a political entity ruled by a Khan or Khagan. Equivalent to tribal chiefdom, principality, kingdom or even empireverifiedMay 18, 2026
Khatnounthe leaves of the shrub Catha edulis which are chewed like tobacco or used to make teaverifiedMay 18, 2026
Khesarinouna European annual grown for forageverifiedMay 18, 2026
Khinounthe 22nd letter of the Greek alphabetverifiedMay 18, 2026
Khichurinouna dish of rice and hard-boiled eggs and cooked flaked fish, often smoked haddock, native to IndiaverifiedMay 18, 2026
Khimarnouna headscarf worn by observant Muslim women that hangs down to just above the waistverifiedMay 18, 2026
Khoumnouna Mauritanian unit of currency equal to one fifth of an ouguiyaverifiedMay 18, 2026
Khukurinouna curved steel Nepalese knife with a razor-sharp edge used in combat by the GurkhasverifiedMay 18, 2026
Khznounone thousand periods per secondverifiedMay 18, 2026
Kinounin Chinese philosophy, the circulating life energy that is thought to be inherent in all thingsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Kia QuennounMWEa form of foot torture used by the Chinese in which the victim's foot was placed between three pieces of bamboo and systematically squeezedverifiedMay 18, 2026
Kiaatnouna deciduous South African tree having large odd-pinnate leaves and profuse fragrant orange-yellow flowersverifiedMay 18, 2026
Kiangnouna wild ass of Tibet and MongoliaverifiedMay 18, 2026
Kibbutznouna collective farm or settlement owned by its members in modern IsraelverifiedMay 18, 2026
Kibbutzniknouna member of a kibbutzverifiedMay 18, 2026
Kibenounulcerated chilblain on the heelverifiedMay 18, 2026
Kibibitnouna unit of information equal to 1024 bitsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Kibibytenouna unit of information equal to 1024 bytes, often mistaken as 1000 bytesverifiedMay 18, 2026
Kibitnouna unit of information equal to 1024 bitsverifiedMay 18, 2026
Kibitzernounfrom Yiddish, a meddler who offers unwanted advice to othersverifiedMay 18, 2026
Kick in the ButtnounMWEa punishment inflicted by kicking the victim in the behindverifiedMay 18, 2026
Kick PleatnounMWEpleat in back of a straight skirt to allow ease in walkingverifiedMay 18, 2026
Kick StarternounMWEa starter (as on a motorcycle) that is activated with the foot and the weight of the bodyverifiedMay 18, 2026
Kick TurnnounMWEa standing turn made in skiingverifiedMay 18, 2026
Kick UpnounMWEraising the feet backward with the hands on the groundverifiedMay 18, 2026
Kick-Startnouna starter, as on a motorcycle, that is activated with the foot and the weight of the bodyverifiedMay 18, 2026
Kickernouna player who kicks a footballverifiedMay 18, 2026
Kickingnouna rhythmic thrusting movement of the legs as in swimming or calisthenicsverifiedMay 18, 2026