GLOSSARY OF INFORMATION WARFARE TERMS
AFCA
Air Force Communications Agency
AFCERT
Air Force Computer Emergency Response Team
AFIWC
Air Force Information Warfare Center
AHFID
Allied High Frequency Interoperability Directory.
AIA
Air Intelligence Agency at Kelly Air Force Base.
AIS
Automated Information Systems.
ATM
Asynchronous Transfer Mode.
C2
Command and Control: Command and control functions are performed
through an arrangement of personnel, equipment, communications,
facilities, and procedures employed by a commander in planning,
directing, coordinating, and controlling forces and operations in the
accomplishment of a mission.
C2W
Command-and-control warfare. The integrated use of operations
security, military deception, psychological operations, electronic
warfare, and physical destruction, mutually supported by intelligence,
to deny information to, influence, degrade, or destroy adversary
command and control capabilities, while protecting friendly command
and control capabilities against such actions. Command systems, rather
than commanders, are the chief target, as in Persian Gulf War.
C4
Command, Control, Communications, and computers.
C4I
Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence
COMSEC
Communications Security.
Copernicus
The code-name under which the Navy plans to reformulate its command
and control structures in response to the realization that information
is a weapon. Through Copernicus warfighters will get the information
that they need to make tactical decisions. The architecture of
Copernicus was designed by Vice Admiral Jerry O. Tuttle.
CSCI
Commercial Satellite Communications Initiative.
Cyberspace
The global network of interconnected computers and communication
systems.
Cyberwar
A synonym for information warfare.
DARPADefense Advanced Research Project Agency
Data driven attack
A form of attack that is encoded in innocuous seeming data which is
executed by a user or other software to implement an attack. In the
case of firewalls, a data driven attack is a concern since it may get
through the firewall in data form and launch an attack against a
system behind the firewall.
DBK
Dominant battlefield knowledge.
Defense information infrastructure
The worldwide shared or interconnected system of computers,
communications, data, applications, security, people, training, and
other support structures serving a nation's military's information
needs.
DES
Data Encryption Standard
DIA
DII
See: Defense Information Infrastructure
DII COE Defense Information Infrastructure Common Operating Environment
DISA
Defense Information Security Administration. Military organization
charged with responsibility to provide information systems support to
fighting units.
DISC4
Army, Director of Information Systems for Command, Control,
Communications, and Computers
DISN
Defense Information System Network
DNS
Domain Name Service
DNS spoofing
Assuming the DNS name of another system by either corrupting the name
service cache of a victim system, or by compromising a domain name
server for a valid domain.
DoD
Department of Defense.
van Eck monitoring
Monitoring the activity of a computer or other electronic equipment by
detecting low levels of electromagnetic emissions from the device.
Named after Dr. Wim van Eck who published on the topic in 1985.
EKMS
Electronic Key Management System.
ELINT
Electronic intelligence.
EMI
Electromagnetic interference.
EMP
Electromagnetic pulse. A pulse of electromagnetic energy capable of
disrupting computers. Computer networks, and many forms of
telecommunication equipment.
EMP/T Bomb
A device similar to a HERF Gun but many times more powerful.
EMSEC
Emissions Security.
EPS
Electronic Protection Syustem.
ETAPWG
DOD Information Assurance Education, Training, Awareness and
Professionalization Working Group.
EW
Electronic warfare.
Firewall
A system or combination of systems that enforces a boundary between
two or more networks, i.e., an electronic gate that limits access
between networks in accordance with local security policy.
GCCS
Global Command and Control System.
GCSS
Global Combat Support System.
Global information environment
A military term for cyberspace.
Hacker
A person who either breaks into systems for which they have no
authorization or intentionally overstep their bounds on systems for
which they do have legitimate access, i.e., an unauthorized individual
who attempts to penetrate information systems; to browse, steal, or
modify data; deny access or service to others; or cause damage or harm
in some other way.
HERF
High Energy Radio Frequency. As in HERF gun: a device that can disrupt
the normal operation of digital equipment such as computers and
navigational equipment by directing HERF emissions at them.
IASE Information Assurance Support Environment.
IBW
Intelligence-based warfare.
IPMO
INFOSEC Program Management Office.
Information Warfare
Information warfare is the offensive and defensive use of information
and information systems to deny, exploit, corrupt, or destroy, an
adversary's information, information-based processes, information
systems, and computer-based networks while protecting one's own. Such
actions are designed to achieve advantages over military or business
adversaries (Dr. Ivan Goldberg's definition)
INFOSEC
Information Security: Protection of classified information that is
stored on computers or transmitted by radio, telephone teletype, or
any other means.
ISSO
NSA Information Systems Security Organization.
IW/C2W
Information warfare/command and control warfare.
J6
Joint Staff, Director for Command, Control, Communications, and
Computers.
JC2WC
Joint Command and Control Warfare Center.
JMIC
Joint Military Intelligence College . . . located at Bolling Air Force
Base close to Washington DC.
Logic bomb
Unauthorized computer code, sometimes delivered by email, which, when
executed, checks for particular conditions or particular states of the
system which, when satisfied, triggers the perpetration of an
unauthorized, usually destructive, act.
NAIC
National Air Intelligence Center.
NIMA
National Imagery and Mapping Agency.
NIPC
National Infrastructure Protection Center.
NRO
National Reconnaissance Office.
NSA
National Security Agency. This agency is charged with the tasks of
exploiting foreign electromagnetic signals and protecting the
electronic information critical to U. S. national security.
OOTW
Operations other than war.
PKI
Public Key Infrastructure.
Psychological operations
Planned psychological activities in peace and war directed to enemy,
friendly, and neutral audiences in order to influence attitudes and
behavior affecting the achievement of political and military
objectives. They include strategic psychological activities,
consolidation psychological operations and battlefield psychological
activities.
PSYOPS
See: Psychological operations.
RMA
Revolution in Military Affairs. The realization by the military that
information, and information technologies must be considered as a
weapon in achieving national objectives via military activity.
SIGINT
The interception and analysis of electromagnetic signals.
TEMPEST
Military code-name for activities related to van Eck monitoring, and
technology to defend against such monitoring.
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Rdvised 11/6/99
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