- Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Quantifiable measures that are used to evaluate the success or effectiveness of a particular activity or process. These are often used to track progress toward strategic objectives over time. For instance, in a security context, KPIs could include the time taken to detect a threat, the rate of false positive alerts, or the percentage of employees who pass a phishing test.
- Key Recovery The process of retrieving and restoring a lost or compromised cryptographic key. It is used to ensure the availability and integrity of encrypted data in the event of a key loss or failure. Examples of key recovery methods include backup and recovery of keys, secure key escrow, and keyless recovery using a trusted third party.
- Key Risk Indicators (KRIs) Metrics used to measure and evaluate the risk level of an organization or system based on predetermined criteria and thresholds. It is used to identify, prioritize, and monitor potential risks to the organization's security and integrity. Examples of security-related KRIs include the number of vulnerabilities, the frequency of security incidents, and the level of access controls.
- Key Space In cryptography, key space refers to the set of all possible keys that can be used with a cryptographic algorithm, defining the limits of potential key values. The size of the key space (i.e., the total number of distinct keys) is determined by the key length, impacting the algorithm's resistance to brute force attacks. For example, a 128-bit keyspace has 2^128 possible keys.
- Key Space Clumping A term related to cryptography and the distribution of potential keys within the key space, which is the set of all possible keys that can be used with a cryptographic algorithm. Keyspace clumping occurs when keys are not evenly distributed throughout the key space, potentially leading to clusters or groups of keys that are more likely to be chosen or tested than others. This uneven distribution can introduce vulnerabilities, as it may reduce the effective size of the key space and make the encryption system easier to breach through methods such as brute force attacks. Properly designed cryptographic systems aim to avoid key space clumping to ensure that all keys are equally likely to be generated and that the key space is fully utilized to maintain the strength of cryptographic protection.
- Key Stretching The process of applying a cryptographic function multiple times to a password or key to increase its effective length and security. It is used to protect against brute-force attacks and dictionary attacks by making it computationally infeasible to guess or crack the key. Examples of key stretching algorithms include PBKDF2 and Argon2.
- KillDisk malware A type of malware that targets and destroys data on a system, often as part of a larger ransomware attack. It is used to extort money from victims by threatening to permanently delete their data unless a ransom is paid. Examples of KillDisk malware include the Petya and NotPetya attacks.
- Kiosk service point A physical location where customers can access a company's services or products, often through the use of a self-service terminal. It is commonly found in airports, shopping malls, and other public areas. Examples include a ticket kiosk at an amusement park or a rental car kiosk at an airport.
- Known-good Data (Testing) A testing methodology that utilizes a set of input data for which the expected output is already known. This known-good data set, which should be representative of the normal range of input data, allows for verification of system performance and functionality. In security contexts, it's used to ensure that systems are functioning as intended and that they are correctly identifying and handling malicious inputs.
- Known-plaintext attack A known-plaintext attack is a method of cryptanalysis where the attacker has access to both the plaintext (unencrypted message) and its corresponding ciphertext (encrypted message). It is used to exploit weaknesses in encryption algorithms by analyzing how the plaintext is transformed into ciphertext, with the aim of discovering the encryption key. Examples include attacks on historical ciphers like the Vigenère cipher.
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