The FREE Cybersecurity Glossary by Thor Pedersen!

Certification of Systems: The formal process by which a system is evaluated against predefined criteria or standards to ensure it meets certain requirements related to quality, performance, and security. System certification often involves rigorous testing, analysis, and review by independent assessors or certifying bodies. In the context of IT and cybersecurity, certification might assess a system's compliance with security standards, such as ISO/IEC 27001, Common Criteria (ISO/IEC 15408), or NIST frameworks. Achieving certification typically signals that a system is reliable, secure, and trustworthy, and it can be a critical factor for businesses that prioritize data protection and wish to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of their information systems.

Chain Of Custody: A process that tracks the movement and handling of evidence from the moment it is collected until the moment it is presented in court. It includes a written record of all individuals who have had custody of the evidence, documenting each transfer of custody and the reason for the transfer. In digital forensics, maintaining a proper chain of custody is crucial for the integrity of digital evidence. It ensures that digital evidence, such as log files or hard drives, can be verified as being handled and stored in a secure manner, preventing tampering or unauthorized access and making the evidence legally admissible in court.

Challenge-response authentication: A method of authentication in which a server presents a question or challenge to a user or system seeking access, who must then provide a valid answer or response. This type of authentication is often used in scenarios where passwords alone are deemed insufficiently secure. The challenge is typically a random number, and the response is the correct encryption of this number using a shared key. By ensuring that the response is correct, the system verifies the identity of the user or system, thereby enhancing the security of the access process.

Challenge/Response Token: A security token or device that produces a response code used in authentication processes. When presented with a challenge, such as a numeric code or a nonce provided by the authentication system, the token generates a corresponding response based on a secret key or algorithm. This response is then used to verify the user's identity. These tokens enhance security by requiring something the user has (the token) in addition to something the user knows (a PIN or password).

Change advisory board (CAB): A committee made up of stakeholders and subject matter experts whose role is to assess, prioritize, and approve changes to an environment or system. The CAB is responsible for evaluating the proposed changes in terms of their potential benefits, risks, and impacts to ensure changes are managed methodically to prevent negative effects and maintain smooth operations. This group plays a significant role in ensuring changes do not unintentionally introduce new vulnerabilities or weaken existing safeguards.

Change control: A systematic approach to managing alterations to a system, project, or process. The process typically includes steps like documenting, evaluating, approving, and implementing changes. The goal is to prevent unnecessary changes, minimize the risk of adverse effects, and ensure that all modifications are traceable and well-documented. This is especially crucial for maintaining the integrity of the environment, as unplanned or unapproved changes can lead to vulnerabilities or inconsistencies that can be exploited by malicious parties.