Glossary of Cyber Security Terms
Essential Vocabulary for Navigating the World of Cyber Security
K
Kernel
The kernel is the computer operating system's heart, delivering fundamental services for all other components. Often contrasted with the shell—the outermost part interacting with user commands—the kernel is a term predominantly used in Unix and similar operating systems.
Key (Cryptography)
A cryptographic key is like a secret password guiding a cryptographic algorithm's operations. It dictates how plaintext transforms into ciphertext during encryption or reverts from ciphertext to plaintext during decryption.
Key Exchange
Key exchange, as the term suggests, is a methodology in cryptography allowing two parties to exchange cryptographic keys. This enables them to use a cryptographic algorithm for secure communication.
Keylogger
Keyloggers are digital surveillance tools, often classified as either software or spyware, capable of recording your every keystroke into a (usually) encrypted log file. They're like silent note-takers, meticulously documenting every keyboard action.
Kerberos
Developed at MIT, Kerberos is a ticket-based security system that relies on passwords and symmetric cryptography (specifically DES) to implement peer entity authentication and access control services in a client-server network environment.
Knowledge Base
A knowledge base in the computing realm is a technology used to store complex structured and unstructured information leveraged by a computer system. Think of it as the system's accessible library of knowledge.
KPI (Key Performance Indicator)
KPIs serve as critical signposts measuring performance. They evaluate an organization's success or gauge the effectiveness of a specific activity it undertakes. In essence, KPIs are the mile markers on the road to organizational goals.
KVM Switch (Keyboard, Video, and Mouse switch)
A KVM switch is a digital multitasker, a hardware device that enables users to control multiple computers from one or more sets of keyboards, video monitors, and mice. It's like a command center from which you can navigate various systems.