GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC): key terms

Flashcards for this exam GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC) guide Class dates

• Access ControlSecurity mechanisms that determine who or what can view, use, or change resources, and under what conditions.Foundational
• Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)NIST-standard symmetric block cipher (Rijndael) with a 128-bit block and 128-, 192-, or 256-bit keys.Foundational
• Asymmetric EncryptionEncryption using a mathematically related key pair: a public key to encrypt or verify and a private key to decrypt or sign.Foundational
• AvailabilitySecurity goal ensuring authorized users have timely, reliable access to data and systems when needed.Foundational
• Certificate AuthorityTrusted entity that verifies identities and issues, signs, and revokes digital certificates.Foundational
• Certificate Revocation List (CRL)CA-signed list of serial numbers of certificates that have been revoked before their expiration date.Foundational
• CIA TriadThe three core goals of information security: confidentiality, integrity, and availability.Foundational
• CIS BenchmarksConsensus-based secure configuration guides for operating systems, cloud platforms, applications, and devices.Foundational
• CIS Critical Security Controls (CIS Controls)Prioritized set of 18 cybersecurity safeguard groups from the Center for Internet Security.Foundational
• CIS Implementation Groups (IG)Three tiers (IG1, IG2, IG3) prioritizing CIS Controls safeguards by organizational risk and resources.Intermediate
• ConfidentialitySecurity goal ensuring information is disclosed only to authorized people, processes, or systems.Foundational
• CryptographyThe science of protecting information by transforming it so only intended parties can read or verify it.Foundational
• Defense in DepthLayering multiple, independent security controls so that the failure of one does not compromise the asset.Foundational
• Digital CertificateElectronic document signed by a CA that binds a public key to an identity such as a domain, person, or device.Foundational
• Digital SignatureCryptographic value created with a private key over a message hash that proves origin, integrity, and non-repudiation.Foundational
• EncryptionConverting plaintext into ciphertext using an algorithm and key so only authorized parties can read it.Foundational
• Hash FunctionOne-way function that maps input of any size to a fixed-size digest, used to verify integrity.Foundational
• IntegritySecurity goal ensuring data and systems are accurate, complete, and not altered by unauthorized parties.Foundational
• Layered SecuritySynonym for defense in depth: multiple overlapping security measures protecting the same asset.Foundational
• Parkerian HexadDonn Parker's six-element security model: confidentiality, possession, integrity, authenticity, availability, and utility.Intermediate
• Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)Framework of CAs, policies, and technology for issuing, managing, and revoking digital certificates.Foundational
• Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA)Asymmetric algorithm based on the difficulty of factoring large integers, used for encryption and digital signatures.Foundational
• SaltA Python-based configuration management and remote execution tool (SaltStack, now owned by Broadcom) using a master/minion architecture over a ZeroMQ event bus.Intermediate
• Secure Hash Algorithm 2 (SHA-2)NIST family of hash functions including SHA-224, SHA-256, SHA-384, and SHA-512.Foundational
• Symmetric EncryptionEncryption in which the same secret key is used to both encrypt and decrypt data.Foundational
• Transport Layer Security (TLS)The cryptographic protocol that secures application traffic with encryption, integrity and certificate-based authentication; successor to SSL.Foundational