Table Of ContentGLOSSARY
OF SECURITY TERMS, DEFINITIONS,
AND ACRONYMS
Center for Development of Security Excellence
Learn. Perform. Protect.
Table of Contents
Glossary Terms
.............................................04
A .............................................05
B ..............................................20
C .............................................24
D .............................................68
E ..............................................94
F ..............................................105
G .............................................122
H .............................................126
I ...............................................129
J ..............................................146
K ..............................................147
L ..............................................148
M .............................................153
N .............................................160
O .............................................171
P ..............................................180
Q .............................................200
R ..............................................201
S ..............................................212
T ..............................................239
U ..............................................252
V .............................................260
W .............................................263
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Table of Contents
Acronym Terms
............................................266
A .............................................267
B ..............................................270
C .............................................272
D .............................................281
E ..............................................287
F ..............................................290
G .............................................293
H .............................................294
I ...............................................295
J ..............................................300
K ..............................................301
L ..............................................301
M .............................................303
N .............................................306
O .............................................313
P ..............................................316
Q .............................................320
R ..............................................320
S ..............................................322
T ..............................................329
U ..............................................333
V .............................................335
W .............................................335
X .............................................336
Y ..............................................336
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Glossary Terms
A
Acceptable Level of Risk
An authority’s determination of the level of
potential harm to an operation, program, or
activity that the authority is willing to accept due
to the loss of information.
Access
The ability and opportunity to obtain knowledge
of classified information.
Access requires formal indoctrination and
execution of a non-disclosure agreement.
Access Approval
Formal authorization for an individual to have
access to classified or sensitive information within
a Special Access Program (SAP) or a Controlled
Access Program (CAP), including Sensitive
Compartmented Information (SCI).
Access Approval Authority (AAA)
Individual responsible for final access approval
and/or denial determination.
Access Control
A procedure to identify and/or admit personnel
with proper security clearance and required
access approval(s) to information or facilities using
physical, electronic, and/or human controls.
Access Control Mechanisms
Measures or procedures designed to prevent
unauthorized access to protected information or
facilities.
Glossary TOC 5
A
Access Eligibility Determination
A formal determination that a person meets the
personnel security requirements for access to a
specified type or types of classified information.
Access Evaluation
The process of reviewing the security qualifications
of employees.
Access National Agency Check with Inquiries
(ANACI)
A personnel security investigation for access to
classified information conducted by the Office
of Personnel Management (OPM), combining a
national agency check and written inquiries to
law enforcement agencies, former employers and
supervisors, references, and schools, and a credit
check.
ANACIs are only conducted on civilian employees
and do not apply to military or contractor
personnel.
Access Roster
A database or listing of individuals briefed to a
Special Access Program (SAP).
Access Termination
The removal of an individual from access to
Special Access Program (SAP) or other program
information.
Accesses
Indoctrination to classified material that has
additional security requirements or caveats. This
may be Sensitive Compartmented Information
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A
(SCI), Special Access Program (SAP) information,
or collateral level accesses (North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) or Critical Nuclear Weapons
Design Information (CNWDI)).
Accessioned Records
Records of permanent historical value in the
legal custody of National Archives and Records
Administration (NARA).
Accountability
Assignment of a document control number,
including copy number (#), which is used to
establish individual responsibility for the document
and permits traceability and disposition of the
document.
Accreditation
The formal certification by a Cognizant Security
Authority (CSA) that a facility, designated area,
or information system has met Director of National
Intelligence (DNI) security standards for handling,
processing, discussing, disseminating or storing
Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI).
Accreditation (of Information Systems (IS))
The approval to use an Information System (IS)
to process classified information in a specified
environment at an acceptable level of risk based
upon technical, managerial, and procedural
safeguards.
Accredited Security Parameter (ASP)
The security classification levels, compartments,
and sub-compartments at which an Information
Glossary TOC 7
A
System (IS) or network is accredited to operate
(e.g., TOP SECRET or Special Access Required
(SAR)).
Accrediting Authority
A customer official who has the authority to
decide on accepting the security safeguards
prescribed or who is responsible for issuing an
accreditation statement that records the decision
to accept those safeguards.
Acknowledged Special Access Program
A Special Access Program (SAP) that is
acknowledged to exist and whose purpose is
identified (e.g., the B-2 or F-117 aircraft program)
while the details, technologies, materials,
techniques, etc., of the program are classified
as dictated by their vulnerability to exploitation
and the risk of compromise. Program funding is
generally unclassified.
NOTE: Members of the four Congressional
Defense Committees are authorized access to the
program.
Acoustical Intelligence
Intelligence information derived from the
collection and analysis of acoustical phenomena.
Acoustical Security
Those security measures designed and used to
deny aural access to classified information.
Acquisition Program
A directed, funded effort that provides a new,
improved, or continuing materiel, weapon,
Glossary TOC 8
A
Information System (IS), or service capability in
response to an approved need.
Acquisition Special Access Program
A Special Access Program (SAP) established
primarily to protect sensitive research,
development, testing, and evaluation or
procurement activities in support of sensitive
military and intelligence requirements.
Acquisition Systems Protection
The safeguarding of defense systems anywhere in
the acquisition process as defined in Department
of Defense Directive (DoDD) 5000.1, “The Defense
Acquisition System,” the defense technologies
being developed that could lead to weapon
or defense systems and defense research data.
Acquisition Systems Protection integrates all
security disciplines, counterintelligence, and other
defensive methods to deny foreign collection
efforts and prevent unauthorized disclosure to
deliver to our forces uncompromised combat
effectiveness over the life expectancy of the
system.
Activity
A Department of Defense (DoD) unit, organization,
or installation performing a function or mission.
Activity Security Manager (ASM)
The individual specifically designated in writing
and responsible for the activity’s information
security program which ensures that classified
and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)
Glossary TOC 9
A
is properly handled during its entire life cycle.
This includes ensuring classified information
is appropriately identified, marked, stored,
disseminated, disposed of, and accounted for,
as well as providing guidance on the handling of
security incidents to minimize adverse effects and
ensure that appropriate corrective action is taken.
The Activity Security Manager (ASM) may be
assigned responsibilities in other security disciplines,
such as personnel or physical security.
Adjudication
Evaluation of personnel security investigations
and other relevant information to determine if it
is clearly consistent with the interests of national
security for persons to be granted or retain
eligibility for access to classified information,
and continue to hold positions requiring a
trustworthiness decision.
Adjudication Authority
Entity which provides adjudication for eligibility or
access.
Adjudicative Process
An examination of a sufficient period of a person’s
life to make an affirmative determination that the
person is an acceptable security risk.
Adjudicator
A personnel security specialist who performs
adjudications.
Adversary
An individual, group, organization, or Government
Glossary TOC 10
