Mac® Security Bible

Glossary

802.1X

A networking protocol that requires each device to authenticate before any network access is granted

absolute mode

A manner of using the Unix chmod command in which a complete set of permissions is specified with a single octal string

access control list (ACL)

A list that specifies which users and groups can perform various actions with a given file, folder, or volume

access point

A wireless router; a device that lets multiple Wi-Fi devices connect to the Internet (or another network) wirelessly

account

A unique number or name associated with a certain user who has permission to access a computer or service

adware

Software that displays advertising, often by using pop-up windows

algorithm

A mathematical formula used to encrypt data (also known as a cipher)

application firewall

A firewall that filters network requests based on the application sending or receiving data (also known as a socket-filter firewall)

asymmetric cipher

A cipher that uses one key to encrypt data and a different key to decrypt it (also known as a public-key cipher)

authentication

The process of identifying oneself to a computer system; for example, by typing a username and its associated password

authentication server

A server program that maintains a central database of each user's credentials

authenticator

In the 802.1X protocol, a device that confirms a user's credentials as stored on an authentication server and functions as a network switch

authorization

The process ...