Glossary · Nouns · P
L1 — paginated flat list. Pick a POS, pick a letter.
TermTypeDefinitionClassificationsUpdated
Passive Air DefensenounMWEair defense by the use of deception or dispersion or protective constructionverified
passive attacknounMWEAn attack against an authentication protocol where the Attacker intercepts data traveling along the network between the Claimant and Verifier, but does not alter the data (i.e., eavesdropping).Threat
passive entitynounMWEA system resource — such as a device, file, record, table, domain, or process — that holds or receives information but does not itself initiate actions or requests. What distinguishes it from an active entity (a subject) is precisely this non-initiating character: it sits in the position of being *acted upon*, not acting. Access control mechanisms govern the relationship by granting or revoking privileges for active entities (subjects) to access or perform operations on passive entities (objects). In authoritative frameworks, the term appears as the standard counterpart to "subject" in the subject–object model: access control policies control access between active entities or subjects — users or processes acting on behalf of users — and passive entities or objects, such as devices, files, records, and domains. A passive entity contains or receives information, and access to it by a subject implies access to the information it contains.Control
Passive ImmunitynounMWEan impermanent form of acquired immunity in which antibodies against a disease are acquired naturally through the placenta to an unborn child or artificially by injection of antiserumverified
Passive Learning AgentnounMWEA passive learning agent has a fixed policy that determines its behavior. An active learning agent gets to decide what actions to take.System
Passive ResistancenounMWEpeaceful resistance to a government by fasting or refusing to cooperateverified
Passive responsenounMWEA response option in intrusion detection in which the system simply reports and records the problem detected, relying on the user to take subsequent actionControl
Passive Security TestingnounMWESecurity testing that does not involve any direct interaction with the targets, such as sending packets to a target.Process
Passive SourcenounMWEan informant who is not assigned to obtain specific intelligence but who routinely passes on whatever information he or she hasverified
Passive VoicenounMWEthe voice used to indicate that the grammatical subject of the verb is the recipient (not the source) of the action denoted by the verbverified
Passive WiretappingnounMWEThe monitoring or recording of data while it is being transmitted over a communications link, without altering or affecting the data.ThreatRegulated
Passportnouna document issued by a country to a citizen allowing that person to travel abroad and re-enter the home countryverified
passwonounA string of characters (letters, numbers, and other symbols) used to authenticate an identity or to verify access authorization.CredentialRestricted
passwordnounA protected/private string of letters, numbers, and/or special characters used to authenticate an identity or to authorize access to data.Credential
Password Authentication ProtocolnounMWEPassword Authentication Protocol is a simple, weak authentication mechanism where a user enters the password and it is then sent across the network, usually in the clear.Credential
password complexitynounMWEA set of rules that defines what set of characters and the amount of characters a password must contain.Credential
Password crackernounMWEA tool that tests the strength of user passwords by searching for passwords that are easy to guess It repeatedly tries words from specially crafted dictionaries and often also generates thousands (and in some cases, even millions) of permutations of characters, numbers and symbols.Credential
Password CrackingnounMWEThe process of recovering secret passwords stored in a computer system or transmitted over a network.Credential
password parameternounMWEA setting that defines a condition or requirement that a password must match.Credential
Password ProtectednounMWEThe ability to protect a file using a password access control, protecting the data contents from being viewed with the appropriate viewer unless the proper password is entered.Credential
Password SniffingnounMWEPassive wiretapping, usually on a local area network, to gain knowledge of passwords.Credential
Past Progressive TensenounMWEa progressive tense used to describe on-going action in the pastverified
Pasteurellosisnounan acute infectious disease characterized by pneumonia and blood infectionverified
Pasteurisationnounpartial sterilization of foods at a temperature that destroys harmful microorganisms without major changes in the chemistry of the foodverified
Pasteurizationnounpartial sterilization of foods at a temperature that destroys harmful microorganisms without major changes in the chemistry of the foodverified
Pasteurized MilknounMWEmilk that has been exposed briefly to high temperatures to destroy microorganisms and prevent fermentationverified
Pastichenouna musical composition consisting of a series of songs or other musical pieces from various sourcesverified
patchnounAn update to an operating system, application, or other software issued specifically to correct particular problems with the software.Artifact
patch and vulnerability management processnounMWEOne of the many process associated with the patching of software applications and the situations when an organization is forced to make emergency configuration changes that may reduce functionality to protect the organization from exploitation of the vulnerability.VulnerabilityRegulated
patch lognounMWEA list that shows patches that been installed and need to be installed to update software.ArtifactInternal
Patch managementnounMWEThe systematic notification, identification, deployment, installation, and verification of operating system and application software code revisions. These revisions are known as patches, hot fixes, and service packs.Process
patch management programnounMWEA documented approach for organizing and directing all activities undertaken to manage patches or upgrades for software and hardware.Process
Patch TestnounMWEa test to determine allergic sensitivity by applying small pads soaked with allergen to the unbroken skinverified
PatchingnounSoftware code that replaces or updates other code. Frequently patches are used to correct security flaws.Process
patching operationnounMWEA coordinated, end-to-end execution activity — encompassing vulnerability identification, patch acquisition, testing, scheduling, deployment, and verification — carried out against a defined set of systems or assets within a managed change-management framework. It is distinguished from *patch management* (the overarching program or policy) by its operational, time-bounded character: a patching operation is the discrete act of *doing* the work, not the governance structure that governs it. In practice, the field uses it to describe the full workflow that must be completed in order to close a known vulnerability window, covering everything from urgency review through post-deployment confirmation, and it appears in standards guidance — notably CISA's recommended practice for control-system patch management — as a structured flow with discrete decision points such as emergency versus routine cadences, change-control approvals, and rollback options.ProcessRegulated
Patellar ReflexnounMWEa reflex extension of the leg resulting from a sharp tap on the patellar tendonverified