The FREE Cybersecurity Glossary by Thor Pedersen!

EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory): A type of non-volatile memory used in computers and other electronic devices to store small amounts of data that must be retained without power. It can be electrically erased and reprogrammed, offering flexibility in data management, while requiring careful handling to avoid unauthorized alterations.

Electronic Code Book (ECB) Mode: Electronic Code Book (ECB) Mode is the simplest form of block cipher encryption where each block of plaintext is encrypted independently. Its main weakness lies in not hiding data patterns well, as identical plaintext blocks produce identical ciphertext blocks. This predictability can lead to security vulnerabilities, making ECBs unsuitable for the encryption of large amounts of data, especially if they contain repetitive information.

El Gamal Algorithm: A public key cryptosystem based on the Diffie-Hellman key exchange. It was developed by Taher ElGamal in 1985 and is used for digital signatures, key agreements, and encryption. The El Gamal encryption system is an alternative to the RSA algorithm and relies on the difficulty of calculating discrete logarithms for providing security. It has the property that each plaintext message is encrypted to a different ciphertext message using a randomly chosen parameter, even if the same plaintext message is encrypted multiple times.

Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA): A cryptographic algorithm that uses elliptic curves for the creation of digital signatures. It's widely recognized for its strength despite using shorter key lengths, which results in more efficient processing. ECDSA provides assurance of data integrity, sender authenticity, and non-repudiation, meaning the signer cannot credibly deny having signed the data.

Extended User Interface (NetBEUI): NetBEUI (NetBIOS Extended User Interface) is a non-routable networking protocol best suited for small to medium-sized local area networks. It's known for being simple to configure and efficient in LAN environments due to its lack of scalability features necessary for larger, segmented networks. Its name is derived from NetBIOS, a program that allows applications for different computers to communicate over a local area network. However, with the evolution of networking infrastructure and the dominance of TCP/IP, NetBEUI has become largely obsolete and is rarely used in modern network designs.

Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP): A framework widely used in wireless networks and point-to-point connections that provides multiple authentication methods, such as smart cards, token cards, certificates, public key encryption, and one-time passwords (OTP). EAP is designed to support various authentication mechanisms without requiring the use of a specific one, allowing both the client and server to negotiate the desired method of authentication. It is often used in conjunction with other protocols, such as RADIUS and Diameter, and is an essential component of network access control in both wired and wireless networks.